pamper

verb

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

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 wanderlustNew Yorker
2
archaic : to cram with rich food : glut
pamperer noun
Choose the Right Synonym for pamper

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.
Guests can go to the spa and salon to get pampered. Sari Hitchins, Parents, 11 Apr. 2025 Related article British Airways reveals new A380 superjumbo first class seat design First-class pampering Board one of the few Lufthansa Airbus A350s with Allegris First Class and you are greeted by a nearly private cabin at the front of the plane. Edward Russell, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 2025 Not Hardening Off Seedlings Seedlings that have been started indoors have been pampered with warm temperatures, regular watering, possibly a little fertilizer, gentle lighting, protection from the wind, etc. Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2025 Amused when flexing her power, she is fawned over by her crew, who pamper her like a queen. Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pamper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pamper. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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

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