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
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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 of observing, tolerating and, at times, surrendering control to see what exists beneath it.—
Sonia Singh,
Rolling Stone,
26 May 2026
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As a pilot myself — and admittedly a bit of a control freak — surrendering control to a computer did not come naturally.—
Pete Muntean,
CNN Money,
24 May 2026
Verb
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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
-
Deep punctures can allow entry points for bacteria, so check your produce occasionally and use any bruised or damaged items early to keep them from spoiling.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
23 May 2026
Verb
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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
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That lends Gray’s ninth and arguably best film a gratifying full-circle symmetry.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Researchers are stripping grant applications of words that might attract federal scrutiny, or abandoning the topics entirely.—
Bruce Schneier,
The Conversation,
27 May 2026
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For example, behavioral analytics may show that customers are abandoning a travel booking flow at unusually high rates.—
Gary Drenik,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Verb
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Also new at this Cote is a luxe japchae, whose ingredients are wheeled in on a beautiful cart bearing little bowls—noodles, vegetables julienned to pleasing uniformity, and a frankly enormous portion of sweet Alaskan-king-crab meat.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
24 May 2026
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Make a batch or two of these crowd-pleasing drink recipes along with these party-perfect appetizers, which will carry you from Memorial Day to Labor Day.—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
24 May 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 2 Jun. 2026.
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