indulgent
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of indulgent
First recorded in 1500–10; from Latin indulgent-, stem of indulgēns “taking pleasure in,” present participle of indulgēre; see indulge
Explanation
Someone who is self-indulgent gives themselves a lot of treats. Parents who are indulgent cave to every desire their child expresses. Indulgent means lenient, or overly generous. Indulgent is a word that, here in Puritanical North America, is hard to know how to take. Is it okay to “indulge yourself” as so many spa advertisements suggest? Or is indulgent always associated with excess? You can indulge fantasies of figuring out the answer, or you can give in to an indulgent shrug and move on to another word.
Vocabulary lists containing indulgent
The Giver
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Achievement First 7th Grade IA 1 Words
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Purple Hibiscus
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“I have no taste for anything excepting amusing myself,” he admitted to his indulgent mother in a letter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
He was spoiled by his loving, indulgent mother but susceptible to bullying among his streetwise friends.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
And part of the reasoning behind those indulgent offseason moves was to make a big trade-deadline move unnecessary.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
You’re craving something indulgent yet simple as you wind down.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
Father Olufemi leaned forward, cupping Kamau’s cheek like an indulgent father.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
