self-indulgent
Americanadjective
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indulging one's own desires, passions, whims, etc., especially without restraint.
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characterized by such indulgence.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of self-indulgent
First recorded in 1785–95
Explanation
Anything self-indulgent you do for yourself, without thinking about other people. Enjoy a self-indulgent day at the spa! But self-indulgent can also mean “selfish,” like a rambling self-indulgent speech that puts the audience to sleep. Eating whatever you feel like, even if it's ice cream for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, is self-indulgent. Spending an entire day lying in a hammock when you have a project to work on for school is also self-indulgent. You just do what you feel like doing: in other words, you indulge yourself. Indulge, "to grant as an unearned favor," comes from the Latin indulgere, "be kind, yield, or concede."
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.
Others say the fundamental lack of agreement on a successor is a huge block, making a change in leader self-indulgent and a huge risk.
From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026
The comedian stayed away from politics, though he did acknowledge the devastating wildfires that struck the region, saying, “in a moment such as this, any awards show can seem self-indulgent and superfluous.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2026
In that instance, the public were given the chance to choose the overall winner, opting for the term describing "unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly or greedy" behaviour.
From Barron's • Dec. 1, 2025
This sentimental and self-indulgent social-dance affair to musical selections from Antonín Dvořák, Patsy Cline, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder and Donna Summer goes nowhere, repeatedly.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 17, 2025
Bull crowed with delight, a self-indulgent but euphoric eruption that silenced his wife’s catcalls for the moment.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
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.
