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 Axel, a soon to be 5-year-old pitbull vizsla mix in Missouri, found a new friend in his elderly neighbor George Carr, who takes care of him and pampers him when his owners are away at work. Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 30 June 2025 After weeks of pampering, watering, and staking, dahlia flowers begin to emerge in summer. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 10 June 2025 British Vogue Acting Beauty Director Lauren Murdoch Smith is here to walk you through all her holiday beauty essentials—and to share the in-flight pampering rituals Vogue editors love to do at 30,000 feet! Vogue, 10 June 2025 Some mothers will enjoy spending time with their families, while others will pamper themselves with a day at the spa or the beach. Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 8 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
  • On the way back to her workstation after the 0830 all clear, Masako indulged this innocent conceit by regaling some of her Kenjo coworkers with a claim about her father’s apparently magical ability to protect himself and his family from American bombs.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2025
  • So please indulge us and join us for a big dance party.
    Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2025
Verb
  • With backup Marcus Mariota also nursing a lower leg strain, quarterbacks Josh Johnson and Sam Hartman will handle the offense for Washington.
    Kyle Hightower, Baltimore Sun, 6 Aug. 2025
  • Peter Phillips, the son of Britain’s Princess Anne and eldest grandchild of the late Queen Elizabeth II, announced his engagement to nurse Harriet Sperling on Friday.
    Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 1 Aug. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pamper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pamper. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

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