Definition of INDULGENCE (original) (raw)
1
a
: the act of indulging in something
b
: something indulged in
walk off gastronomic indulgences—
Barbara L. Michaels
2
b
: an extension of time for payment or performance granted as a favor
4
: remission of part or all of the temporal and especially purgatorial punishment that according to Roman Catholicism is due for sins whose eternal punishment has been remitted and whose guilt has been pardoned (as through the sacrament of reconciliation)
Synonyms
Examples of indulgence in a Sentence
She lived a life of selfish indulgence. his indulgence in forbidden pleasures She found that she couldn't afford the indulgences she had once enjoyed. For our anniversary we allowed ourselves the indulgence of an elegant dinner at our favorite restaurant. Good food is my only indulgence.
Recent Examples on the Web After all, Depp too is famous for his talent but also his proclivity for indulgence, which was brought into an especially glaring, unflattering light over the course of his bitter courtroom battle with his ex, Amber Heard. —Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Sep. 2024 Milkshakes may give you that feeling of an indulgence without the alcohol. —Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 16 Sep. 2024 That state of affairs has diluted asceticism from the actual, if difficult, rejection of indulgence into a fetish for that abstinence. —Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 26 Aug. 2024 But dominant values around modesty, avoiding indulgence and anti-consumerism meant that most people had no desire to be featured in an advertisement. —Sohini Desai, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for indulgence 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'indulgence.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4
Time Traveler
The first known use of indulgence was in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near indulgence
Cite this Entry
“Indulgence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indulgence. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
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Last Updated: 28 Sep 2024 - Updated example sentences
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