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adjective B2 Upper-Intermediate

indulgent

ihn-DUHLD-zhuhnt

Indulgent (adjective) means willing to allow, satisfy, or go along with someone's wishes, often too readily. Example: “Her indulgent parents let her stay up as late as she wanted.”

adjective
1
Willing to allow, satisfy, or go along with someone's wishes, often too readily.
"Her indulgent parents let her stay up as late as she wanted."
"He gave himself an indulgent afternoon off work."

How to use indulgent

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishToo willing to let someone (or yourself) have or do whatever is wanted.

Common pairings
self-indulgent indulgent parent indulgent treat

Word forms

more indulgent comparative, most indulgent superlative

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Her _____ parents let her stay up as late as she wanted.

Etymology

From Latin indulgens, present participle of indulgere ("to be lenient").

Origin: Latin

Frequently asked questions

What does “indulgent” mean?

The word “indulgent” means willing to allow, satisfy, or go along with someone's wishes, often too readily. In plain terms, too willing to let someone (or yourself) have or do whatever is wanted.

How do you pronounce “indulgent”?

“Indulgent” is pronounced ihn-DUHLD-zhuhnt (/ɪnˈdʌld͡ʒənt/ in IPA).

How do you use “indulgent” in a sentence?

Here is “indulgent” used in a sentence: “Her indulgent parents let her stay up as late as she wanted.”

What part of speech is “indulgent”?

“Indulgent” is an adjective.

Where does the word “indulgent” come from?

The word “indulgent” comes from Latin. From Latin indulgens, present participle of indulgere ("to be lenient").

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