What does "indulgence" mean?
The act of indulging.
Indulgence
/ɪnˈdʌl.d͡ʒəns/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of indulging.
- Grammar: indulgence is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: leniency, acceptance, accommodatingness, agreeableness.
- Useful contrasts: abnegation, abstention, abstentions.
- Usage evidence: Excessive indulgence spoiled the child.
How to use "indulgence"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "indulgence" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "indulgence" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "indulgence" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "indulgence" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "indulgence" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "leniency" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "indulgence", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of indulging. countable, uncountable
"will all they that either through indulgence to others or fondness to any sin in themselves, substitute for repentance any thing that is less than a sincere, uniform resolution of new obedience"
- 2 the remission by the pope of the temporal punishment in purgatory that is still due for sins even after absolution wordnet
- 3 Tolerance. countable, uncountable
- 4 foolish or senseless behavior wordnet
- 5 The act of catering to someone's every desire. countable, uncountable
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 the act of indulging or gratifying a desire wordnet
- 7 A wish or whim satisfied. countable, uncountable
""In other words, the ONLY indulgences we'll be getting for a while is fixing your wardrobe. This means no new manga. No new games. Nothing. Get used to it.""
- 8 a disposition to yield to the wishes of someone wordnet
- 9 Something in which someone indulges. countable, uncountable
"I made but one error—giving way to petulance in the earlier instance; that lost me the Prince of Conti. Temper is bourgeois indulgence, though I own to a predilection for it."
- 10 an inability to resist the gratification of whims and desires wordnet
- 11 An indulgent act; a favour granted; gratification. countable, uncountable
"If all these gracious indulgences are without any effect on us, we must perish in our own folly."
- 12 A pardon or release from the expectation of punishment in purgatory, after the sinner has been granted absolution. countable, uncountable
"To understand how indulgences were intended to work depends on linking together a number of assumptions about sin and the afterlife, each of which individually makes considerable sense."
Verb
- 1 to provide with an indulgence transitive
Example
"Excessive indulgence spoiled the child."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "indulgence"?
Common synonyms include: leniency, acceptance, accommodatingness, agreeableness, allowance, attentiveness.
How do you use "indulgence" in a sentence?
Excessive indulgence spoiled the child.
How do you pronounce "indulgence"?
Pronounced /ɪnˈdʌl.d͡ʒəns/.
Etymology
From Middle English indulgence, indulgens, from Middle French indulgence and its source, Latin indulgentia.