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.
It doesn’t feel as vulnerable, whereas acting, there’s something fundamentally so indulgent about it.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
Heavy on grooves and jams, this album sometimes feels unfocused and indulgent.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
The bread itself naturally softens and rounds everything out, so you don’t need an alarming amount to make it feel indulgent.
From Salon ● May 25, 2026
“Queen Kelly”—starring Gloria Swanson, who also co-produced the movie—was to be the indulgent Stroheim’s last silent picture as a director.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026
“Kote, sir,” Kote replied in an indulgent tone that mothers use on children and innkeepers use on drunks.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
Definitions 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.
