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Meaning & use

indulge in food

phrase·Everyday

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UK/ɪnˌdʌldʒ ɪn ˈfuːd/
US/ɪnˌdʌldʒ ɪn ˈfud/

Meanings

  1. phrasephrasal verb

    To eat something you enjoy, often more than you normally would or something considered a treat.

    Grammar: Used with 'in' + noun or -ing form: indulge in food, indulge in eating cake.

    Patterns

    • indulge in food
    • indulge in something
    • indulge in doing something

    On vacation we indulged in food from every street stall.

    She rarely indulges in food like chocolate cake, but today is her birthday.

    After the marathon, he indulged in food and rest for two days.

  2. phrasephrasal verb

    To allow yourself to enjoy a particular kind of food, especially one that is rich or unhealthy.

    Grammar: Often used with adjectives like 'rich', 'fattening', or 'sweet' before 'food'.

    Patterns

    • indulge in rich food
    • indulge in sweet food
    • indulge in unhealthy food

    During the holidays, many people indulge in rich food and then feel guilty.

    He indulged in fast food all week while his wife was away.

    They indulged in delicious seafood at the beach restaurant.

Common combinations

indulge in rich food
We indulged in rich food at the wedding banquet.
indulge in sweet treats
She indulged in sweet treats after giving up sugar for a month.
indulge in fast food
He indulged in fast food every Friday night.
occasionally indulge in
I occasionally indulge in a slice of cheesecake.
guiltily indulge in
They guiltily indulged in the leftover pizza.

Synonyms and how they differ

feast on
Suggests a large, celebratory meal; 'indulge in food' is more about giving in to a desire.
pig out on
Informal and often disapproving; 'indulge in food' is more neutral and can be positive.
treat yourself to
Focuses on a special, enjoyable item rather than the act of eating a lot.

Opposites

abstain from foodfast

Word family

indulgence noun
The act of allowing yourself something enjoyable, especially food or drink.
indulgent adjective
Willing to allow someone to have or do what they want, often too much.

Commonly confused: indulge in food or indulge?

indulge in food vs indulge

The base verb; you need 'in' before the thing you enjoy: indulge in food, not just indulge food.

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