Synonym Chooser

How does the verb pamper contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of pamper are baby, humor, indulge, mollycoddle, and spoil. While all these words mean "to show undue favor to a person's desires and feelings," pamper implies inordinate gratification of desire for luxury and comfort with consequent enervating effect.

pampered by the amenities of modern living

When is baby a more appropriate choice than pamper?

The meanings of baby and pamper largely overlap; however, baby suggests excessive care, attention, or solicitude.

babying students by grading too easily

Where would humor be a reasonable alternative to pamper?

While the synonyms humor and pamper are close in meaning, humor stresses a yielding to a person's moods or whims.

humored him by letting him tell the story

When can indulge be used instead of pamper?

While in some cases nearly identical to pamper, indulge implies excessive compliance and weakness in gratifying another's or one's own desires.

indulged myself with food at the slightest excuse

When might mollycoddle be a better fit than pamper?

Although the words mollycoddle and pamper have much in common, mollycoddle suggests an excessive degree of care and attention to another's health or welfare.

refused to mollycoddle her malingering son

When is it sensible to use spoil instead of pamper?

The synonyms spoil and pamper are sometimes interchangeable, but spoil stresses the injurious effects on character by indulging or pampering.

foolish parents spoil their children

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 pamper Aire Ancient Baths Chicago 800 W. Superior St., Chicago High on luxury touches (and price tag), the Spanish spa chain Aire has converted a turn-of-the-century paint factory into the city’s preeminent temple for pampering. Outside Online, 28 May 2025 The Unexpected Ibiza Hotel Partying meets pampering at the pink-hued paradise of The Unexpected Ibiza Hotel. Forbes Travel Guide, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025 Is this a Marner thing, or a sign that the team pampers their stars and that Blue and White disease is worse than ever? P Paul M. · 3h 30m ago Why is Marner so mad . James Mirtle, New York Times, 18 June 2025 During its spring 2025 show, Miu Miu pampered the Plume, Tyre, and Gymnasium sneakers with the ultimate charm treatment, marked by clip-on and thread-through additions that included cutesy fabric pinwheels. Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 29 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for pamper
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pamper
Verb
  • Dodge won't spoil the surprise by confirming if the last one will be based on the Charger or the Challenger (or maybe both), but the evidence suggests the latter is more likely.
    Jack Fitzgerald, Car and Driver, 13 Feb. 2023
  • Farmers’ broiler chickens suffocate, and dairy products spoil.
    Monica Mark, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Feb. 2023
Verb
  • Some adults want their children to develop AI literacy; others see chatbots as a way to indulge young kids’ endless curiosities or engage their creativity.
    Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 14 July 2025
  • Trump previously appeared to indulge an antisemitic trope of Jewish people controlling things behind the scenes.
    Rebecca Schneid, Time, 5 July 2025
Verb
  • Jackson nursed him back to health by covering his feet with a medicated balm and became acutely aware of the need to protect her pets from the hot summer sun and heatwaves.
    Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • The University of Minnesota’s equine intensive care unit nursed him back from his pneumonia and wounds.
    Mark Vancleave, Twin Cities, 30 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pamper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pamper. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.

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