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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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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This distinction between hobbies and passive leisure is important because, according to research, true hobbies are a vital component of a healthy and gratifying life.—
Markham Heid,
Time,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Sirianni, 45, a hypercompetitive hothead who has conspicuously engaged with players (in Eagles and opposing jerseys), coaches (Eagles and opposing), fans (same) and officials, wants to be a mature person who can rein in his emotions, but not at the expense of surrendering his essence.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
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Filling this time with meetings (or low-yield tasks) means surrendering the hours best suited for deep work and strategic thinking to reactive demands.—
Cynthia Pong,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
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The grandkids, who are the children of Stewart's only child, Alexis Stewart, are the mogul's pride and joy, and she's often spoken about spoiling them.—
Gillian Telling,
PEOPLE,
4 Dec. 2025
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In Barbie’s take on Tchaikovsky, her extremely mysterious and unmarried (lesbian) aunt gifts her a nutcracker, which sends her into a miniature world of sugar plum fairies, dashing wooden toys, and rebel camps spoiling for war.—
Sadie Collins,
Them.,
26 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Creators Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest lend an auteur’s touch to the material, creating something that stands on its own while still bearing some of the MCU’s crowd pleasing flourishes.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
15 June 2026
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Start by picking a film that fits the season and your guests, like a crowd-pleasing summer blockbuster, a cult classic, or a vintage thriller.—
Wendy Rose Gould,
Martha Stewart,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Iran has said abandoning its enrichment rights is nonnegotiable.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
11 June 2026
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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
Verb
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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
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Agathe approaches love with Elizabeth Bennet’s passion, reveling in whimsy and delighting in the unexpected.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
27 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Indulging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indulging. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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