indulgence

noun

in·​dul·​gence in-ˈdəl-jən(t)s How to pronounce indulgence (audio)
1
a
: the act of indulging in something
especially : self-indulgence
b
: something indulged in
walk off gastronomic indulgencesBarbara L. Michaels
2
a
: an indulgent act
b
: an extension of time for payment or performance granted as a favor
3
: the act of indulging : the state of being indulgent
4
: remission of part or all of the temporal and especially purgatorial punishment that according to Roman Catholicism is due for sins whose eternal punishment has been remitted and whose guilt has been pardoned (as through the sacrament of reconciliation)

Examples of indulgence in a Sentence

She lived a life of selfish indulgence. his indulgence in forbidden pleasures She found that she couldn't afford the indulgences she had once enjoyed. For our anniversary we allowed ourselves the indulgence of an elegant dinner at our favorite restaurant. Good food is my only indulgence.
Recent Examples on the Web The fear of indulgence thus becomes the woman's problem. Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 3 Oct. 2024 Even makers of cookies and snacks, whose sales often depend on spur-of-the-moment indulgences, say that their data shows that the impact on caloric intake is likely to be very limited. Deena Shanker, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2024 Similarly, Dogue in San Francisco offers fine dining experiences for dogs, complete with tailored dishes that mirror the type of culinary indulgence typically reserved for their owners. Kate Hardcastle, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024 Trading adventure and indulgence for the chance to stay in, snuggle up, and savor early sunsets. Christine Pride, SELF, 25 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for indulgence 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'indulgence.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Time Traveler
The first known use of indulgence was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near indulgence

Cite this Entry

“Indulgence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indulgence. Accessed 18 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

indulgence

noun
in·​dul·​gence in-ˈdəl-jən(t)s How to pronounce indulgence (audio)
1
: the act of indulging : the state of being indulgent
2
: an indulgent act
3
: something indulged in

More from Merriam-Webster on indulgence

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!