3 syllables: in, dul, gent. Stress on dul.
/ˌɪˈndʌldʒənt/
Say it backIndulgent describes a person or action that yields to or yields many indulgences or leniencies—often suggesting a fond or lenient attitude toward oneself or others. It implies a willingness to indulge desires, sometimes to excess, and can connote a softened, permissive stance in contrast to restraint. The term commonly appears in contexts about behavior, spending, or treatment that is overly generous or lenient.
"Her indulgent grandmother spoiled her with toys and treats."
"The director praised the film’s indulgent pacing, which lets scenes breathe."
"His indulgent interpretation of the law reflected a compassionate approach."
Say in-DUL-gent with the primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US / ɪnˈdʌl.dənt /; UK / ɪnˈdʌl.dənt /; AU / ɪnˈdʌl.dənt /. Start with a short initial /ɪ/ as in 'pin', then a stressed /ˈdʌl/ with the lips relaxed and the back of the tongue lowered from a neutral position, followed by a light /dənt/ ending. Ensure the ‘l’ is clear but not overly vocalized and the final consonant is a crisp /nt/.
Common errors: 1) Placing stress on the first or last syllable (in-DUL-gent vs in-du-LGENT) – correct by practicing with the rhythm: da-DAdna? No, fix to inˈdul.dənt. 2) Overemphasizing the final -gent as /ˈd͡ʒent/ or dropping the /l/ (pronouncing as in-DUG-ent) – keep /l/ and maintain /d/ before /ə/ to produce /dəl/. 3) Vowel reduction in the second syllable (DUL) sounding like /ʌ/ is typical; avoid merging to /ə/ in casual speech, unless the accent reduces vowels. Practice with minimal pairs and slow articulation to anchor /ˈdʌl/.
In US, UK, and AU, the core is /ɪnˈdʌl.dənt/ with a rhotic vs non-rhotic difference not affecting this word much; rhoticity is standard in US and AU; in UK non-rhotic accents, the /r/ is not pronounced in most contexts here since /dʌl/ has no /r/. Vowel quality: US /ɪ/ is lax, UK /ɪ/ slightly tenser; /ˈdʌl/ remains consistent, but UK speakers may make the vowel in /ə/ after /l/ less reduced. Australian: often a more centralized /ə/ in the second syllable; across all varieties, avoid pronouncing /lj/ as a cluster; keep /l/ clear.
Because of the consonant cluster -dʌl.dənt in quick speech, you must keep the /d/ and /l/ distinct and avoid vowel reduction that blurs the middle syllable. The /ˈdʌl/ part requires a crisp /d/ followed by a clear /ʌ/ and /l/; and then a light, unstressed /dənt/. Balancing the sonorants in sequence without adding extra vowels or swallowing sounds is tricky; practice with tempo and syllable-timed drills to improve clarity.
The word’s two central syllables carry the main tension: /ˈdʌl/ establishes the strong schwa-less vowel in second syllable and the final /dənt/ includes a nasal + alveolar stop. The unique feature is keeping the /l/ immediately after a stressed /d/ and preserving the light, unstressed -ent ending; many English learners replace it with a stronger /ent/ or /ənt/ respectively. Focus on the /d/ + /l/ transition and the silent vowels in final clusters to produce natural speech.
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Indulgent derives from Latin indulgent- 'to indulge, pamper' from indulgere 'to be indulgent, be considerate'—from in- 'toward' + dulcis 'sweet'. The sense evolution traces from giving oneself or others what is pleasing or gratifying, to an attitude of leniency or gratification of desires. In late Latin, indulgere described a mercy or favor granted by authority, which influenced the English form indulge (late 14th c.), later evolving into the adjective indulgent by the 15th century, capturing the sense of characterized by or given to indulgence. The word carries its core meaning of self- and other- leniency and pleasure-seeking through much adoption in moral and behavioral discourse. First known use in English dates back to the 15th century, aligning with religious and secular debates about indulgence and mercy. Over time, the adjective shifted to describe a person or behavior marked by or promoting indulgence, with connotations of softness, permissiveness, or luxuriant generosity.
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Words that rhyme with "indulgent"
-ent sounds
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