indulgent
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- indulgently adverb
- nonindulgent adjective
- nonindulgently adverb
- preindulgent adjective
- superindulgent adjective
- superindulgently adverb
- unindulgent adjective
- unindulgently adverb
Etymology
Origin of indulgent
First recorded in 1500–10; from Latin indulgent-, stem of indulgēns “taking pleasure in,” present participle of indulgēre; 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.
The dry-aged grilled branzino was flaky and beautifully cooked, but the standout was the chicken al pastor, served with a fresh pineapple salad and pineapple butter—bright, savory, and just a little indulgent.
From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026
At nearly four hours, the sequel is bigger, louder and more indulgent than the original.
From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026
Brands are trying to elevate brushing and flossing from a tedious chore to an indulgent ritual.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026
What struck me most was the assumption beneath it all: that stopping to eat is not indulgent or inefficient, but necessary.
From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026
Anyway, they were more indulgent toward us than at any other time; they snapped at the heels of the seniors, driving and molding and arming them for the war.
From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles
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.
