Standard Lemma guide

indulgent

adj · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɪnˈdʌld͡ʒənt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 N D AH1 L JH AH0 N T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Disposed or prone to indulge, humor, gratify, or yield to one's own or another's desires, etc., or to be compliant, lenient, or forbearing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • an indulgent parent
  • to be indulgent to servants

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: forbearing, gentle, lenient, tolerant, amenable, biddable, complaisant, compliant, controllable, docile, governable, indulgent, manageable, maniable, meek, passive, pliant, rulable, tractable, yielding, clement, easygoing, lax, loose-handed, permissible, permissive, relaxed, remissful, safe, soft, soft-handed, avuncular, broad-minded, catholic, latitudinarian, laissez faire, liberal, open-handed, open-minded, sufferable

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective

Meaning 2

characterized by or given to yielding to the wishes of someone

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • indulgent grandparents

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: nonindulgent

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

being favorably inclined

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an indulgent attitude

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

tolerant or lenient

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • indulgent parents risk spoiling their children
  • too soft on the children
  • they are soft on crime

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lenient, soft

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Latin indulgēns, indulgentem, present participle of indulgēre.

Across languages

Translations

49 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Belarusian: паблажлівы (pablažlivy) — prone to indulge
  • Belarusian: патураючы (paturajučy) — prone to indulge
  • Bulgarian: снизходителен (snizhoditelen) — prone to indulge
  • Bulgarian: отстъпчив (otstǎpčiv) — prone to indulge
  • Catalan: indulgent — prone to indulge
  • Czech: shovívavý — prone to indulge
  • Czech: benevolentní — prone to indulge
  • Dutch: toegeeflijk — prone to indulge
  • Finnish: lempeä — prone to indulge
  • Finnish: suopea — prone to indulge
  • Finnish: hyväntahtoinen — prone to indulge
  • Finnish: myöntyväinen — prone to indulge
  • Finnish: anteeksiantavainen — prone to indulge
  • French: indulgent — prone to indulge
  • German: nachgiebig — prone to indulge
  • German: zu verwöhnen tendierend — prone to indulge
  • German: verwöhnen wollend — prone to indulge
  • Hungarian: elnéző — prone to indulge
  • Hungarian: engedékeny — prone to indulge
  • Hungarian: vajszívű — prone to indulge
  • Ido: indulgema — prone to indulge
  • Latin: indulgens — prone to indulge
  • Macedonian: по́пустлив (pópustliv) — prone to indulge
  • Macedonian: сни́сходлив (sníshodliv) — prone to indulge
  • Marathi: निरत असणारा (nirat asṇārā) — prone to indulge
  • Marathi: कोडकौतुक करणारा (koḍkautuk karṇārā) — prone to indulge
  • Portuguese: indulgente — prone to indulge
  • Romanian: indulgent — prone to indulge
  • Russian: снисходи́тельный (snisxodítelʹnyj) — prone to indulge
  • Russian: потака́ющий (potakájuščij) — prone to indulge
  • Spanish: indulgente — prone to indulge
  • Swedish: svag — prone to indulge
  • Swedish: överseende — prone to indulge
  • Swedish: tillåtande — prone to indulge
  • Swedish: eftergiven — prone to indulge
  • Turkish: uysal — prone to indulge
  • German: ausgelassen — indulging oneself
  • German: sich verwöhnend — indulging oneself
  • German: sich etwas gönnend — indulging oneself
  • Marathi: सुखलोलुप (sukhlolup) — indulging oneself
  • Marathi: स्वसुखलोलुप (svasukhlolup) — indulging oneself
  • Czech: shovívavý — gentle, lenient, forbearing, tolerant
  • Czech: benevolentní — gentle, lenient, forbearing, tolerant
  • German: mild — gentle, lenient, forbearing, tolerant
  • German: nachsichtig — gentle, lenient, forbearing, tolerant
  • German: duldsam — gentle, lenient, forbearing, tolerant
  • German: gutmütig — gentle, lenient, forbearing, tolerant
  • Marathi: सौम्य (saumya) — gentle, lenient, forbearing, tolerant
  • Marathi: क्षमावान (kṣamāvān) — gentle, lenient, forbearing, tolerant