indulge
B2Neutral to formal. Common in both written and spoken contexts. Less common in highly technical or legal registers unless used figuratively.
Definition
Meaning
To allow oneself or another to have or do something enjoyable, especially something considered a luxury or pleasure, often excessively or self-gratifyingly.
1. To satisfy or yield to a desire, whim, or interest. 2. To be overly lenient or permissive towards someone. 3. (In commerce) To allow oneself the pleasure of having or using a premium product or service. 4. (Indulge in) To engage or involve oneself in an activity, typically one that is enjoyable but potentially excessive.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The verb often carries a slight negative connotation of excess or lack of self-control, but this can be neutralized or made positive in contexts of self-care or planned enjoyment (e.g., 'indulge in a spa day'). The noun forms 'indulgence' and 'indulgences' are more common for describing the acts or items themselves.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or grammatical patterns. The frequency of use in specific collocations (e.g., 'indulge oneself' vs. 'treat oneself') may vary slightly.
Connotations
Similar in both varieties. The word is associated with luxury, pleasure, and sometimes guilt.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in UK English according to corpus data, but the difference is marginal. The associated noun 'indulgence' is common in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[VN] (indulge sb/sth)[V] (indulge in sth)[VN] (indulge oneself)[VN] (indulge a whim/desire/passion)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Indulge in a little (something)”
- “A guilty indulgence”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in marketing language: 'Indulge in our premium service.' Rare in core business reports.
Academic
Used in psychology, sociology, or history to discuss consumer behaviour, desires, or permissiveness: 'The study examined how societies indulge collective anxieties.'
Everyday
Very common for discussing food, hobbies, or small luxuries: 'I'm going to indulge in a piece of cake.'
Technical
Not typical. Might appear in theological contexts related to 'indulgences' (historical Catholic practice).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He decided to indulge in a fortnight's holiday in Cornwall.
- She rarely indulges herself with new clothes.
- The grandparents tend to indulge the children terribly.
American English
- Let's indulge in some retail therapy at the mall.
- I indulge my love for jazz by collecting vintage records.
- The coach refused to indulge the player's request for special treatment.
adverb
British English
- He smiled indulgently at his granddaughter's antics.
- She spent the day indulgently reading novels.
American English
- The CEO spoke indulgently about the team's early mistakes.
- They ate indulgently throughout the vacation.
adjective
British English
- The indulgent uncle bought the children endless sweets.
- She gave him an indulgent smile.
American English
- He took an indulgent attitude toward their noisy party.
- The dessert menu was full of indulgent options.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I sometimes indulge in chocolate.
- Parents should not always indulge their children.
- On weekends, I indulge myself by sleeping late.
- He indulged his passion for photography by buying a new camera.
- The article criticises a culture that indulges in instant gratification.
- We can't indulge every customer's unreasonable demand.
- The regime indulged in brutal suppression of dissent while indulging the whims of the elite.
- Her writing indulges in lyrical flourishes that some critics find excessive.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of INdulge as letting something INto your life that you desire, like letting IN a DULGE (sounds like 'deluge') of pleasure.
Conceptual Metaphor
INDULGENCE IS A LIQUID (to indulge in something, a wave of indulgence), LACK OF RESTRAINT IS A RELEASED FORCE (to indulge a desire).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid directly translating as 'баловать' in all contexts; 'баловать' is often more childish. 'Предаваться (чему-либо)' is closer for 'indulge in'. For 'indulge a customer', use 'угождать клиенту' or 'потакать клиенту'.
- The noun 'indulgence' (поблажка, снисхождение) is more common than the verb in some equivalent phrases.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'I indulged to eat cake.' Correct: 'I indulged in eating cake' or 'I indulged myself with cake.'
- Confusing 'indulge' with 'enjoy' – 'indulge' implies yielding to a desire, often with a hint of excess; 'enjoy' is more general.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'indulge' CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While it can imply lack of self-control, it is often used neutrally or positively for planned, pleasurable activities, especially in marketing or self-care contexts (e.g., 'indulge in a relaxing massage').
'Treat oneself to' is more informal and almost always positive, focusing on a specific reward. 'Indulge in' can be more formal, can refer to activities as well as objects, and sometimes retains a slight connotation of yielding to a craving.
Yes, but typically with the preposition 'in'. For example: 'He rarely indulges.' is grammatically correct but vague. 'He rarely indulges in sweets.' is clearer.
The main noun form is 'indulgence' (countable/uncountable). It refers to the act of indulging or the thing indulged in (e.g., 'Chocolate is my one indulgence'). Historically, it also refers to a pardon for sins in Catholic theology.