indulgent

adjective

in-ˈdəl-jənt How to pronounce indulgent (audio)
Definition of indulgentnext
1
as in easy
tolerant and kind in the judgment of and expectations for others she was perhaps a bit too indulgent with her children, who always seemed to get away with everything

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in luxurious
given to or marked by excessive gratification of one's desires inherited riches helped fuel her indulgent lifestyle

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in friendly
willing to do a favor an indulgent clerk who let me try on practically every size-seven shoe the store had

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of indulgent This sandwich gets into indulgent territory with the lobster taking the rich mac and cheese up a notch. — Justin Brown, AJC.com, 20 Sep. 2026 Take, for example, the most indulgent-feeling blush brush to ever grace your cheeks. — Elizabeth Siegel, Allure, 17 Sep. 2026 But there’s another 45 supremely indulgent auteur gunk that is snicker-worthy. — Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026 The indulgent formula includes antioxidants and vitamin E to smooth texture, boost radiance, and improve elasticity. — Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for indulgent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for indulgent
  1. easy
  2. luxurious
  3. friendly
  4. soft
  5. sensual
  6. charitable
Adjective
  • The intensity of their yearning has only increased on their second album, Nature’s Pill—and that’s no easy feat, considering this is a band whose breakout track opens with the narrator prostrating himself before the object of his affection.
    — Colin Joyce, Pitchfork, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Celebrity hairstylist Brian Magallones considers this the perfect balance between a not-too-fussy and not-too-structured chignon, a style that sounds tough to style without a professional team but is actually quite easy to master at-home.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of easy
Adjective
  • Turn it into a complete hair-care package by adding a silky scrunchie, a scalp massager, a luxurious hair mask, or a new brush.
    — Ethan Stone October 9, Idaho Statesman, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Making casual clothes look luxurious was hardly new, but Cucinelli did it in a way that flattered changing body shapes while establishing an instantly recognizable aesthetic.
    — Robb Report, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of luxurious
Adjective
  • Next-level attentiveness from friendly staff certainly helps.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • But certain corners of the site hold up well, particularly bedroom storage and budget-friendly outdoor furniture.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of friendly
Adjective
  • However, the company said beer depletions, a measure of sales from distributors to retailers and other customers, declined slightly during the quarter, indicating consumer demand was softer than shipment growth suggests.
    — Brandon Gomez, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Passion fruit seeds are soft and edible, but there are just too many to be enjoyable.
    — Carolynn Carreño, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of soft
Adjective
  • Unlike many other leftists, who saw the Nazis as mere puppets of capitalism, Seghers understood the raw, sensual appeal of the Fascist message.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Vanilla Bouclé offers a similar sensual scent experience, this time leaning more into the sweetness of gourmands and woody notes like white almond, coconut milk, sandalwood and chamomile.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of sensual
Adjective
  • Among Parton’s charitable efforts aimed at education was her Imagination Library, which has distributed more than 300 million books to children worldwide over the past 30 years.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Trump’s legislation also added a charitable deduction for filers who don’t itemize tax breaks, worth up to $1,000 for single filers and $2,000 for married couples.
    — Kate Dore, CFP®, EA, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of charitable

Browse Nearby Words

indulgences
indulgent
indulgently
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Indulgent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indulgent. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All