INDULGE Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'indulge' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of indulge are baby , humor , mollycoddle , pamper , and spoil . While all these words mean "to show undue favor to a person's desires and feelings," indulge implies excessive compliance and weakness in gratifying another's or one's own desires. // indulged myself with food at the slightest excuse

Q: Where would 'baby' be a reasonable alternative to 'indulge'?

While in some cases nearly identical to indulge , baby suggests excessive care, attention, or solicitude. // babying students by grading too easily

Q: When could 'humor' be used to replace 'indulge'?

The words humor and indulge can be used in similar contexts, but humor stresses a yielding to a person's moods or whims. // humored him by letting him tell the story

Q: When would 'mollycoddle' be a good substitute for 'indulge'?

While the synonyms mollycoddle and indulge are close in meaning, mollycoddle suggests an excessive degree of care and attention to another's health or welfare. // refused to mollycoddle her malingering son

Q: When is it sensible to use 'pamper' instead of 'indulge'?

The words pamper and indulge are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, pamper implies inordinate gratification of desire for luxury and comfort with consequent enervating effect. // pampered by the amenities of modern living

Q: When can 'spoil' be used instead of 'indulge'?

In some situations, the words spoil and indulge are roughly equivalent. However, spoil stresses the injurious effects on character by indulging or pampering. // foolish parents spoil their children

indulge

verb

in-ˈdəlj

Definition of indulge

as in to gratify

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

as in to surrender

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

as in to spoil

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

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb indulge contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of indulge are baby, humor, mollycoddle, pamper, and spoil. While all these words mean "to show undue favor to a person's desires and feelings," indulge implies excessive compliance and weakness in gratifying another's or one's own desires.

indulged myself with food at the slightest excuse

Where would baby be a reasonable alternative to indulge?

While in some cases nearly identical to indulge, baby suggests excessive care, attention, or solicitude.

babying students by grading too easily

When could humor be used to replace indulge?

The words humor and indulge can be used in similar contexts, but humor stresses a yielding to a person's moods or whims.

humored him by letting him tell the story

When would mollycoddle be a good substitute for indulge?

While the synonyms mollycoddle and indulge are close in meaning, 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 pamper instead of indulge?

The words pamper and indulge are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, pamper implies inordinate gratification of desire for luxury and comfort with consequent enervating effect.

pampered by the amenities of modern living

When can spoil be used instead of indulge?

In some situations, the words spoil and indulge are roughly equivalent. However, 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 indulge His current employer is Damien Cantor, an authentically sleazy and slippery character who operates under no discernible code beyond indulging a dumb, preening narcissism. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026 My daughter was enchanted by the Balinese rice-on-the-forehead ritual for good fortune that is a part of the arrival, and the front desk staff happily indulged her request to do it again—multiple times a day. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026 After the event was disrupted by an armed intruder, the Administration and the association scheduled a July do-over, where Trump delivered a rambling speech indulging seemingly every tangent that sprang to mind, but his contempt remained apparent. — Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2026 And of course there’s a bookstore in town for indulging your inner Rory. — Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for indulge

Recent Examples of Synonyms for indulge

Verb

Those were the kinds of things that were musically gratifying to me — being able to put these kinds of pairings together.

— Daniel Kohn, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2026
In a statement, expedition leader Rick Pettigrew called the prospect of examining the object gratifying.

— Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of gratify

Verb

Garza was shot twice with less-lethal bean bag rounds but did not surrender.

— Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
Compassion doesn’t mean that presidents or other public officials should bow to enemies or surrender common sense in tackling the world’s harsh realities.

— Kathleen Parker, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of surrender

Verb

There has been no more satisfying slap in cinema this year than the one Erika lands on a smug German actor, leading to a wicked punchline that shouldn’t be spoiled.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Anthony Edwards hit nine 3-pointers and scored 45 points to join an elite club; LaMelo Ball scored 21 in his Minnesota debut, and the Timberwolves spoiled Giannis Antetokounmpo's first game with Miami by beating the Heat 131-106 on Wednesday night.

— CBS News, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of spoil

Verb

But all that warm, crowd-pleasing material is incongruously, fascinatingly, and not so comfortably fitted inside a story about great loss.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
And for options that can please any giftee on your list, check out gourmet food calendars filled with decadent chocolates, loose-leaf teas, jams and jellies, and more.

— Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of please

Verb

But big pharmaceutical companies have largely abandoned the quest for new antibiotics, because the research and development needed to discover them is time-consuming and expensive.

— Zoë Schiffer, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2026
They are joined by other Democrats who have spent years trying to push the party to abandon its more cautious approach to governing, and could now get their chance.

— David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of abandon

Verb

At one point luxury travel meant being able to be anywhere and have the comforts of your office—yachts and Aman resorts offer satellite service and Wi-Fi so that you can be pampered but still take a meeting or be active in the family group chat.

— Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 12 Oct. 2026
For all its glamour, Concorde offered more prestige than pampering.

— Robb Report, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of pamper

Verb

Difficult material, yes—but somehow Sandler injects snap and humor into these pages, whether they’re set at the welfare office or on the road in the Dominican Republic, making this a true pleasure to read.

— Nicholas Boggs, The Atlantic, 22 Apr. 2026
Just as the story mines humor from the collision of old-fashioned ways with a modern frankness, Paul’s score combines the appeal of jaunty golden-age sounds with a freshness that feels present day.

— Naveen Kumar, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026

Definition of humor

Verb

In true dump cake style, add all ingredients to create a pumpkin filling and top with boxed yellow cake mix and butter to create a warm, satisfying dessert that’s perfect for holidays and weeknights.

— Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2026
The salty bacon and fluffy eggs formed that classic breakfast flavor, while the potatoes added a satisfying heartiness without weighing the taco down.

— Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of satisfy

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inducts

indulge

indulged

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Style

“Indulge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indulge. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of indulge

verb

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Articles Related to indulge

'Decadent': Luxury or Decay?

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