indulge

indulge — verb

1. to do or have something that you enjoy, even though you know it might not be sen

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to do or have something that you enjoy, even though you know it might not be sensible or healthy for you

Example

Lotte indulged in a long, hot bath after her twelve-hour hospital shift.

indulge in [noun phrase] for self-care

On weekends, the Park family indulges in a large breakfast with pancakes and fresh fruit.

indulge in + food/drink

Common collocations
  • indulge in a hobby
  • indulge your passion
  • indulge a craving
  • indulge yourself with
Synonyms
  • treat oneself to

    more neutral; lacks the 'excess' connotation of indulge

  • give in to

    suggests giving up resistance rather than willingly enjoying

  • gratify

    more formal and focused on satisfying a specific desire

Antonyms
  • deny oneself

    deliberately refusing a pleasure

  • abstain

    formally choosing not to do something enjoyable

Grammar Patterns

indulge yourself with/in [noun phrase]

indulge in [noun phrase]

indulge [possessive] [craving/passion/desire]

Usage Note

Frequently used with 'in' when referring to an activity ('indulge in a hobby') or a reflexive pronoun when describing self-treatment ('indulge yourself'). The 'in' form is intransitive; the reflexive form is transitive.

Common Mistakes

I indulged a chocolate cake.
I indulged in a chocolate cake.
Food or activities require 'indulge in', not direct object.
She indulged herself to buy new shoes.
She indulged herself by buying new shoes.
Use 'by + gerund' to describe the means of self-treatment.

2. to satisfy every wish of a person under your care, choosing not to restrain them

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to satisfy every wish of a person under your care, choosing not to restrain them even when their actions are unreasonable

Example

Eshe's grandparents indulge her, buying toys even when her parents say she has enough.

indulge [someone] + giving gifts

The café manager indulged the barista's every request, afraid of losing her to a rival.

indulge [someone's] every request / demand

Common collocations
  • indulge a child
  • indulge someone's every whim
  • indulge a pet
Synonyms
  • spoil

    stronger negative connotation; implies harming character

  • pamper

    focuses on physical comfort and luxury, not necessarily behaviour

  • coddle

    implies overprotective treatment, often weakening independence

Antonyms
  • discipline

    setting boundaries and enforcing rules

  • restrain

    holding someone back from what they want

Grammar Patterns

indulge [someone]

indulge [someone's] [whim/request]

Usage Note

Subject is typically a person in a position of authority or care (parent, grandparent, boss). The object is a person (or sometimes a pet) whose wishes the subject fulfills without restraint.

Common Mistakes

She indulged him a new phone.
She indulged him by buying a new phone.
'Indulge' is not a ditransitive verb; use 'by + gerund' or 'with + noun' to specify the gift.
He indulges his expensive car.
He takes great care of his expensive car.
'Indulge' applies to people and pets, not objects.

Word family

  • indulgence
    nounB2
  • indulgent
    adjectiveB2
  • indulgently
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five words describe satisfying a desire, but they differ in scope and connotation. 'Indulge' suggests a willing, often excessive enjoyment that the person knows may not be wise — it can be directed at oneself or others. 'Pamper' focuses on physical comfort and luxury (a spa day, a hotel treatment) without the negative overtone of excess. 'Spoil' carries a stronger negative charge: it implies that the treatment damages someone's character, especially a child's. 'Give in to' emphasizes the surrender of resistance — a person holds out and finally yields, whereas an indulgent person may not have resisted at all. 'Gratify' is more formal and goal-oriented: you gratify a specific desire or impulse, and the word lacks the 'self-indulgent' flavour of overdoing it. For example, 'She indulged her sweet tooth with three desserts' suggests mild guilt; 'She gratified her sweet tooth' sounds clinical; 'She pampered herself with a facial' suggests luxury, not excess.

indulge ↗pamper ↗spoil ↗give in togratify

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • indulge oneself
  • indulge someone's every whim

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'indulge' comes from Latin 'indulgere', meaning 'to be kind to, to grant, to give free rein to'. It entered English through French in the 1500s. The original Latin sense of leniency and granting favours still runs through both modern meanings — whether you are granting a favour to yourself (sense 1) or to another person without limits (sense 2).