pamper
Americanverb (used with object)
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pampers,
present (3rd person singular)
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pampered,
past participle, past
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pampering
present participle
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to treat or gratify with extreme or excessive indulgence, kindness, or care.
to pamper a child; to pamper one's stomach.
- Antonyms:
- discipline
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Archaic. to overfeed, especially with very rich food; glut.
verb
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to treat with affectionate and usually excessive indulgence; coddle; spoil
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archaic to feed to excess
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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pamperednessnoun
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pamperernoun
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overpamperverb (used with object)
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self-pamperedadjective
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self-pamperingadjective
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unpamperedadjective
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pamperedlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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pampersimple
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pamperssimple
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have pamperedperfect
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has pamperedperfect
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am pamperingprogressive
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are pamperingprogressive
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is pamperingprogressive
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have been pamperingperfect progressive
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has been pamperingperfect progressive
Past
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pamperedsimple
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had pamperedperfect
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was pamperingprogressive
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were pamperingprogressive
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had been pamperingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of pamper
1350–1400; Middle English pamperen < Middle Dutch; compare Dutch dialect pamperen
Explanation
When you pamper your dog, you spoil him. You might pamper him by feeding him cubes of cheese and knitting him a little sweater and letting him sleep in your bed under the covers. Some people love to pamper their pets, cooking them special food and buying them expensive collars and toys. To pamper goes beyond kind treatment, bordering on overindulgence or coddling. People also like to pamper themselves from time to time, getting a massage or a manicure, or otherwise being treated indulgently. The word pamper originally meant "to cram with food," most likely from a Middle Dutch root meaning "to cram."
Vocabulary lists containing pamper
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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.
See Examples For:
While groundskeepers in Europe can pamper pitches until they look like Augusta National, all of the U.S. stadiums hosting World Cup matches are designed for American football, which typically features artificial turf.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 27, 2025
Alongside the trophy, Muppet was presented with a pamper session at a luxury doggie spa that included a mud bath followed by a Christmas-themed photoshoot.
From BBC ● Dec. 13, 2024
“There’s a reason we pamper our garden plants,” Herrera says.
From Seattle Times ● May 17, 2024
As has often been reported, current A.I. software has a tendency to pamper its users, to supply whatever answers they seem to be seeking.
From Slate ● Sep. 26, 2023
Though dinner with the captain may be a thing of the past, the ships still pamper guests with spas, boutiques, and sophisticated restaurants.
From "Class Matters" by The New York Times
His family’s comfortable compound, the new trucks, the prize-winning rodeo bull he pampers in a pen behind his house.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026
“People were looking for pampers and could not find them,” she said from the whirring workshop in Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 16, 2024
Best extras: The limited edition release completely pampers hardcore fans with an abundance of both digital and hard copy goodies.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 2, 2021
The sanctions include a more explicit ban on the sale of luxury goods, with which the regime pampers its senior officials: no more snowmobiles or fancy watches.
From Economist ● Mar. 3, 2016
He and his second wife, June, live in Wyckoff, a New Jersey suburb where he pampers fig trees and dutifully looks after a bird feeder shaped like the Parthenon.
From "Class Matters" by The New York Times
Once seen as a pampered playboy, he turned out to be a natural.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ release date has been moved up once again, just as reports of his alleged pampered federal prison lifestyle have emerged.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026
I do the same with a water bottle at home and it’s just as cooling — instantly — but the rose water’s delicious scent left me feeling especially pampered.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Customers are often greeted with Champagne and caviar and pampered with gourmet meals and massage treatments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
He had lost weight but he was still a pampered house tiger, glad to get a meal without too much effort.
From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks
They work 24/7 at high speeds and get searingly hot - but data centre computer chips get plenty of pampering.
From BBC ● Dec. 22, 2025
Each had a tailored experience, from blood cleansing to cell rejuvenation to transcranial magnetic stimulation, with plenty of pampering in between.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 16, 2025
I’m curious about this type of massage, the kind that combines pampering with ancient knowledge — escapism meets medicine.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2025
Peace of mind, pampering, and convenience have a price—and if your longtime doctor switches to a concierge service, it may well be worth it.
From Barron's ● Sep. 25, 2025
Instead of trying to improve their listeners, musicians started pampering them.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
