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indulgence

American  
[in-duhl-juhns] / ɪnˈdʌl dʒəns /

noun

  1. the act or practice of indulging; gratification of desire.

  2. the state of being indulgent.

  3. indulgent allowance or tolerance.

    Synonyms:
    allowance, forbearance, sufferance

  4. a catering to someone's mood or whim; humoring.

    The sick man demanded indulgence as his due.

  5. something indulged in.

    Her favorite indulgence was candy.

  6. Roman Catholic Church. a partial remission of the temporal punishment, especially purgatorial atonement, that is still due for a sin or sins after absolution.

  7. English and Scottish History. (in the reigns of Charles II and James II) a grant by the king to Protestant dissenters and Roman Catholics freeing them from certain penalties imposed, by legislation, because of their religion.

  8. Commerce. an extension, through favor, of time for payment or performance.

verb (used with object)

indulgenced, indulgencing

  1. Roman Catholic Church. to provide with an indulgence.

    an indulgenced pilgrimage to Rome.
indulgence British  
/ ɪnˈdʌldʒəns /

noun

  1. the act of indulging or state of being indulgent

  2. a pleasure, habit, etc, indulged in; extravagance

    fur coats are an indulgence

  3. liberal or tolerant treatment

  4. something granted as a favour or privilege

  5. RC Church a remission of the temporal punishment for sin after its guilt has been forgiven

  6. commerce an extension of time granted as a favour for payment of a debt or as fulfilment of some other obligation

  7. Also called: Declaration of Indulgence.  a royal grant during the reigns of Charles II and James II of England giving Nonconformists and Roman Catholics a measure of religious freedom

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. RC Church to designate as providing indulgence

    indulgenced prayers
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
indulgence Cultural  

  1. In the Roman Catholic Church, a declaration by church authorities that those who say certain prayers or do good deeds will have some or all of their punishment in purgatory remitted.

Discover More

In the Middle Ages, indulgences were frequently sold, and the teaching on indulgences was often distorted. The attack by Martin Luther on the sale of indulgences began the Reformation.

Other Word Forms

  • nonindulgence noun
  • preindulgence noun
  • reindulgence noun
  • superindulgence noun

Etymology

Origin of indulgence

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English word from Latin word indulgentia. See indulge, -ence

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

However, the evidence suggests it may be wiser to treat it as an occasional indulgence rather than a daily staple.

From Science Daily

DAVILA: We obviously have some strength in selling treats and indulgences and our energy offering, which tends to be more afternoon.

From The Wall Street Journal

Season 4, however, has turned the salmon from a background indulgence into a full-blown subplot.

From Salon

Branded as "danmei" - or indulgence in beauty - the genre is part of a beloved lineage of gay romance that has long catered to female fantasy.

From BBC

It’s about flights that blur the line between official duty and personal indulgence.

From Salon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.