pamper

verb

pam·​per ˈpam-pər How to pronounce pamper (audio)
pampered; pampering ˈpam-p(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce pamper (audio)
Synonyms of pamper

transitive verb

1
a
: to treat with extreme or excessive care and attention
pampered their guests
pamper a pet
b
: gratify, humor
… enabled him to pamper his wanderlust …—New Yorker
2
archaic : to cram with rich food : glut
pamperer
ˈpam-pər-ər How to pronounce pamper (audio)
noun

Synonyms of pamper

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indulge, pamper, humor, spoil, baby, mollycoddle mean to show undue favor to a person's desires and feelings.

indulge implies excessive compliance and weakness in gratifying another's or one's own desires.

indulged myself with food at the slightest excuse

pamper implies inordinate gratification of desire for luxury and comfort with consequent enervating effect.

pampered by the amenities of modern living

humor stresses a yielding to a person's moods or whims.

humored him by letting him tell the story

spoil stresses the injurious effects on character by indulging or pampering.

foolish parents spoil their children

baby suggests excessive care, attention, or solicitude.

babying students by grading too easily

mollycoddle suggests an excessive degree of care and attention to another's health or welfare.

refused to mollycoddle her malingering son

Examples of pamper in a Sentence

They really pamper their guests at that hotel. She pampered herself with a day at the spa. He was pampered all his life and doesn't know how to function in the real world.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Anthropologie’s Summer Sale is pampering fashion insiders with 50-percent-off deals stacked on top of already on-sale buys, reflected in cart. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 2 July 2026 Unlike during recovery months when high-intensity skiing and snowboarding take precedence, the remainder of the year is much more focused on lounging, pampering and connecting with other guests. — Dahvi Shira, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 The 25,000-square-foot signature spa turns Mirbeau Beacon into a stylish wellness retreat with a comprehensive array of pampering treatments. — Veronica M. Stoddart, Travel + Leisure, 30 June 2026 The cows are pampered with melodious poetry describing their beauty and calling them by their names. — ABC News, 27 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for pamper

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, probably of Dutch origin; akin to Dutch dialect pamperen to pamper

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of pamper was in the 14th century

Rhymes for pamper

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Browse Nearby Words

pampelmoes
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Cite this Entry

“Pamper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pamper. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

pamper

verb
pam·​per ˈpam-pər How to pronounce pamper (audio)
pampered; pampering -p(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce pamper (audio)
: to treat with too much care and attention

More from Merriam-Webster on pamper

Nglish: Translation of pamper for Spanish Speakers

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