Meaning & use

indulgence

noun·Academic

The act of allowing oneself to enjoy a pleasure, often more than is strictly necessary or wise.

See it in a sentence

A slice of chocolate cake felt like a small indulgence after such a hard week.

His parents' constant indulgence left him unprepared for any kind of disappointment.

A note on using this word

In Catholic tradition, an indulgence historically referred to a pardon reducing punishment for sin, a distinct historical sense worth knowing.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

restraintabstinence

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