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
There’s a conversation for Nebraska worth indulging this spring.
—
Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
Some people think indulging our children’s unexpectedly sophisticated tastes is financially reckless, socially absurd, or proof that parenting culture has lost the plot.
—Melissa Petro, Travel + Leisure, 19 Feb. 2026
Fans who have known little more than disappointment are now indulging dreams of seeing the Knicks win their first championship since 1973.
—Tom Kludt, Vanity Fair, 17 Feb. 2026
One thing leads to another and soon Isabel is indulging Pat’s sense of cultural superiority by showing him her spots.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 16 Feb. 2026
Valentine’s Day is all about indulging your senses, especially your sense of smell.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 3 Feb. 2026
By indulging his endless, self-destructive reserves of contempt, Doug chances upon a truth, not unlike what Oliver Stone did with JFK.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2026
The Animal Collective member’s first solo album is a personal, psychedelic trip indulging his fascination with the hurdy-gurdy.
—Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 30 Jan. 2026
Battambang province is Cambodia’s agricultural heartland and, aside from indulging at the local markets, one of the best ways to experience its culinary heritage is getting into the countryside.
—Vicky Smith, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
Some people think indulging our children’s unexpectedly sophisticated tastes is financially reckless, socially absurd, or proof that parenting culture has lost the plot.
—Melissa Petro, Travel + Leisure, 19 Feb. 2026
Fans who have known little more than disappointment are now indulging dreams of seeing the Knicks win their first championship since 1973.
—Tom Kludt, Vanity Fair, 17 Feb. 2026
One thing leads to another and soon Isabel is indulging Pat’s sense of cultural superiority by showing him her spots.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 16 Feb. 2026
Valentine’s Day is all about indulging your senses, especially your sense of smell.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 3 Feb. 2026
By indulging his endless, self-destructive reserves of contempt, Doug chances upon a truth, not unlike what Oliver Stone did with JFK.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2026
The Animal Collective member’s first solo album is a personal, psychedelic trip indulging his fascination with the hurdy-gurdy.
—Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 30 Jan. 2026
Battambang province is Cambodia’s agricultural heartland and, aside from indulging at the local markets, one of the best ways to experience its culinary heritage is getting into the countryside.
—Vicky Smith, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for indulging
Verb
-
No one needs to stoically, passively wait for whatever life might add or subtract, surrendering free will to fate without fighting back.—
Mark Ellwood,
Robb Report,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Tensions began mounting over the former couple’s association with Epstein in the fall, with both surrendering their respective Duke and Duchess of York titles in October 2025.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Hanging feeders in light shade prevents the nectar from spoiling as rapidly, although nectar should be replaced every three to five days.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Much of the damage that the larger amount would cause, especially the impact on the pond and spoiling the preserve, would still happen under the new plan.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In the years since my first session, it’s been gratifying to see psychedelics becoming more widely accepted.—
Erica Rex,
STAT,
19 Feb. 2026
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Building connections is gratifying to Siqueira, who has poured much of her life into volleyball.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Many reactions accused the modern-era dolls of abandoning the American Girl Doll mission of teaching history to young girls.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
25 Feb. 2026
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Still, his comments were enough to get Hilton to claim Bianco was abandoning GOP principles.—
Barnini Chakraborty,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The cheese sauce uses only six ingredients and helps take this crowd-pleasing casserole to the next level in flavor and fill.—
Nellah Bailey McGough,
Southern Living,
20 Feb. 2026
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Liu, who won the 2025 world championship with the same crowd-pleasing program, returned to the sport in 2024 with the sole objective of sharing her art.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Indulging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indulging. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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