indulge
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
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to yield to, satisfy, or gratify (desires, feelings, etc.).
to indulge one's appetite for sweets.
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to yield to the wishes or whims of; be lenient or permissive with.
to indulge a child.
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to allow (oneself ) to follow one's will (usually followed byin ).
to indulge oneself in reckless spending.
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Commerce. to grant an extension of time, for payment or performance, to (a person, company, etc.) or on (a bill, note, etc.).
verb
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to yield to or gratify (a whim or desire for)
to indulge a desire for new clothes
to indulge in new clothes
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(tr) to yield to the wishes of; pamper
to indulge a child
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(tr) to allow oneself the pleasure of something
at Christmas he liked to indulge himself
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(tr) commerce to allow (a debtor) an extension of time for payment of (a bill, etc)
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informal (intr) to take alcoholic drink, esp to excess
Synonym Usage
See humor.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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indulgernoun
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reindulgeverb
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preindulgeverb (used with object)
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quasi-indulgedadjective
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unindulgedadjective
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indulginglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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indulgesimple
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indulgessimple
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have indulgedperfect
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has indulgedperfect
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am indulgingprogressive
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are indulgingprogressive
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is indulgingprogressive
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have been indulgingperfect progressive
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has been indulgingperfect progressive
Past
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indulgedsimple
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had indulgedperfect
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was indulgingprogressive
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were indulgingprogressive
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had been indulgingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of indulge
First recorded in 1630–40; from Latin indulgēre “to be lenient toward, to accede, to take pleasure in”
Explanation
Indulge is a verb that means "to give in to something," like when you indulge your craving for chocolate by eating a big piece of it. The original meaning of indulge is "to treat with unearned favor." That's why it doesn't mean the same as reward. Instead, when you indulge, you enjoy or take part in something just because you want to — like indulging in a celebrity gossip magazine: you know you should be doing something more constructive, but you don't care. When you indulge someone else, you go along with whatever they want to do.
Vocabulary lists containing indulge
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 12–15
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Starting Your New Life: Inspiring Words from Commencement Speeches
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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
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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:
“Who knows? Maybe I’ll indulge in some hash browns.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Simply put, this is the time to indulge in a summer cobbler, slurp on a delicious cooked sesame noodle salad, or whip up an easy garden-fresh pasta.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
This is not because I believe you should indulge in shame or blame.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026
Only when it comes to soccer, it’s typically more difficult to indulge during the action.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
It can’t explain how it feels, though on the other hand it can’t lie, build up its symptoms, or indulge in the pleasures of hypochondria.
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
Loyal, and not someone who briefs against colleagues to journalists or indulges in political games, he has been around the top of the Labour party for three decades.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
German director Ilker Catak's film "Yellow Letters", which is in official competition, also indulges in some location-switching, but for a slightly different reason.
From Barron's ● Feb. 15, 2026
Writer-director Bart Layton sprinkles the film with inviting overhead shots of L.A. traffic flowing smoothly, which is to say he indulges a fantasy to rival anything in “Thor.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 12, 2026
It indulges in gestures as grand and unlikely as creating snow for a guest, and as small as a sandwich being cut to make it a little more friendly, a little more fancy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2025
Riot hops up onto the kitchen counter and Ellen indulges him with a solid behind-the-ear scratch.
From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy
Growing up in a small Southwestern town as an only child, Erika’s summers were neither good nor bad, neither deprived nor indulged.
From Salon ● Jun. 24, 2026
It’s where I watched Barack Obama get elected twice, the Lakers win back-to-back championships, and where I indulged in countless night caps and an unreasonable amount of all-you-can-eat split pea soup.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2026
Andrew was a royal prince, who everyone I spoke to said was both entitled and indulged.
From BBC ● Feb. 22, 2026
The jacket photo of “To Absent Friends,” which features Welty and Lyell in a theatrical pose, as if they were matinee idols, hints at the kind of personal theater in which they indulged as 20-somethings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 27, 2025
She had been indulged from her birth, but was not absolutely spoilt.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
Outside of trucking, construction and other safety-sensitive industries, more employers say they have come to view marijuana as akin to alcohol: not a red flag, as long as workers aren’t indulging on the clock.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
A lot of athletes dream of rolling back the years but discover the reality of proving they can still compete - and not simply indulging in a nostalgia trip - is a different matter.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
Other senators were less interested in indulging me.
From Slate ● Jun. 5, 2026
So naturally, I’m indulging in all my favorite recipes — and finding new ways to incorporate the small yet mighty superfood into my everyday meals.
From Salon ● May 1, 2026
He assumed I was indulging him because we were close to our destination, and he refused.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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.
