SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
indulgence
noun
Giving in to a desire or allowing oneself a pleasure.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Satisfaction of a desire
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topAn indulgence can be a modest permitted treat; self-indulgence can imply a pattern of excessive gratification.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See indulgence in use
For him, an unhurried afternoon with a novel was a welcome indulgence.
A quiet cup of favorite tea becomes a modest indulgence for another character who simply allows herself a pleasure at the end of the day.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license