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 Amused when flexing her power, she is fawned over by her crew, who pamper her like a queen. Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2025 Listen to this article Equine enthusiasts can pamper themselves and their horses at an equine retreat in Ramona. Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2025 Guests can go to the spa and salon to get pampered. Sari Hitchins, Parents, 11 Apr. 2025 Related article British Airways reveals new A380 superjumbo first class seat design First-class pampering Board one of the few Lufthansa Airbus A350s with Allegris First Class and you are greeted by a nearly private cabin at the front of the plane. Edward Russell, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 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
  • Tickled by his enthusiasm, Mishra graciously indulged his demands.
    Ashlea Halpern, AFAR Media, 30 Apr. 2025
  • There’s a distinction between grappling with reality, however, and indulging unduly in cynicism.
    Thomas Drance, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Then, this breakthrough is rapidly nursed into becoming AGI.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
  • He was originally adopted by Nedra, who nursed him back to health before handing him over to his current owner, Amy.
    Kendall Malinchock, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pamper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pamper. Accessed 13 May. 2025.

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