indulgent

[in-duhl-juhnt]

adjective

1. characterized by or showing indulgence; benignly lenient or permissive.

   an indulgent parent.

   Synonyms: tolerant, easygoing

indulgent

/ ɪnˈdʌldʒənt /

adjective

1. showing or characterized by indulgence

Other Word Forms

• indulgently adverb
• nonindulgent adjective
• nonindulgently adverb
• preindulgent adjective
• superindulgent adjective
• superindulgently adverb
• unindulgent adjective
• unindulgently adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of indulgent¹

First recorded in 1500–10; from Latin indulgent-, stem of indulgēns “taking pleasure in,” present participle of indulgēre; indulge

Example Sentences

The new film “Jay Kelly” grapples with the personal and emotional toll of stardom, but perhaps its greatest feat is that it never feels purely like a product of indulgent Hollywood narcissism.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Don’t skip the drinks or dessert either; both are phenomenal and worth every indulgent bite.

Read more on Salon

His understated compassion for his characters never turns squishy—the trajectory of the narrative is not what a more indulgent writer might follow.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Transported from their dreary cell to the bright, indulgent universe of the musical, their main conflicts become a quest for love and honor, rather than a fight for their basic human rights.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It’s big enough for two and feels wildly indulgent without being heavy, exactly the balance I crave lately.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• considerate 
• fond 
• kindly 
• permissive 
• tolerant