1
as in humoring
to give in to (a desire)
the grandparents indulged the child's wishes to an extent that they never did with their own children
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in surrendering
to give (oneself) over to something especially unrestrainedly
conventioneers who were obviously eager to indulge themselves in all of the vices that Las Vegas might offer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in spoiling
to treat with great or excessive care
you indulge those grandkids in ways you never did with your own kids
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of indulging
Thank you for indulging me on that.
—
Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 26 May 2026
The decor offers a colorful contrast to the austere exterior, allowing the house to honor the neighborhood while indulging the whims of its occupants.
—Fred Albert, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
The charming thing is, McCartney is indulging a lot of youthful crushes in these songs.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 23 May 2026
Travel used to be about taking a break from that and indulging.
—Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 May 2026
In contrast to the first side, side two is a series of four long, moody instrumental electronic pieces, primarily Bowie and Eno indulging their darkest urges.
—Liza Lentini, SPIN, 15 May 2026
Serge, indulging his penchant for modern art, buys a large, expensive, completely white painting, with some slightly-less white lines.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 2 May 2026
This is a hotel with romance and celebration in mind, whether that means marking a once-in-a-lifetime occasion or indulging a lifelong love of history, art, and design.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
Their relationship is fascinating, and Guardiola often appears at the end of his tether, but the manager finally recognises that Cherki’s creative talents are worth indulging.
—Sam Lee, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 26 May 2026
The decor offers a colorful contrast to the austere exterior, allowing the house to honor the neighborhood while indulging the whims of its occupants.
—Fred Albert, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
The charming thing is, McCartney is indulging a lot of youthful crushes in these songs.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 23 May 2026
Travel used to be about taking a break from that and indulging.
—Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 May 2026
In contrast to the first side, side two is a series of four long, moody instrumental electronic pieces, primarily Bowie and Eno indulging their darkest urges.
—Liza Lentini, SPIN, 15 May 2026
Serge, indulging his penchant for modern art, buys a large, expensive, completely white painting, with some slightly-less white lines.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 2 May 2026
This is a hotel with romance and celebration in mind, whether that means marking a once-in-a-lifetime occasion or indulging a lifelong love of history, art, and design.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
Their relationship is fascinating, and Guardiola often appears at the end of his tether, but the manager finally recognises that Cherki’s creative talents are worth indulging.
—Sam Lee, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for indulging
Verb
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The work largely expresses that same message, repeatedly, though Plensa does have a graceful way of stating the obvious in his three-dimensional objects — and that makes many of the pieces gratifying to gaze upon.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
7 June 2026
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Julia Stewart—a serial executive who has led operations across various billion-dollar American casual dining chains—once had a gratifying career moment after being snubbed for CEO.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Negotiators were able to contact O'Brien via phone, eventually leading to his surrendering himself.—
Reg Chapman,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
-
The 49ers did it in March, surrendering a third-round draft pick to the Dallas Cowboys, who had a surplus of starting defensive tackles after last season’s trades for Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
9 June 2026
Verb
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The sheets will absorb excess moisture, which will prevent your fruits and veggies spoiling quickly.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
3 June 2026
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Paige Bueckers scored 24 points and Azzi Fudd added 17 of her season-high 24 in the third quarter to lift the Dallas Wings to a 91-76 win over the New York Liberty on Sunday, spoiling the season debut of Sabrina Ionescu.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 May 2026
Verb
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Cronos marries crowd-pleasing horror elements with highbrow filmmaking sensibilities into something that would fit under arthouse or grindhouse umbrellas.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 June 2026
-
Even Adam’s irritable female boss, Suzie (Sasheer Zamata), hides under a people-pleasing mask.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
Verb
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The move suggests a broader shift in Tehran, where a new generation of leaders is increasingly abandoning the cautious, reactive approach that long defined the Islamic Republic’s strategy towards its adversaries.—
Abbas Al Lawati,
CNN Money,
10 June 2026
-
These networks are viewed with less enthusiasm in the age of streaming, because more consumers are abandoning their cable subscriptions in favor of streaming services.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Nebraska fans with seats around the tunnel spotted them, because thousands of Nebraska fans were still in their seats, reveling, the music still thumping in the arena, as if some kind of encore would be happening.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
22 Mar. 2026
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Our friends converted their 400-person reception hall wedding into a spirited dance party at their home, with small groups of well-wishers, each small enough to fit into their bomb shelter, taking turns reveling.—
Michael M. Rosen,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Indulging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indulging. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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