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 And like all Kimpton hotels, pets are not only welcome, they’re pampered here — a real plus for Kimpton as a whole. Kim Westerman, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Long known for being a more refined sister to wilder spots like Miami, this beach town on a barrier island boasts super-clear waters, some of the state’s best shopping, and hotels that are perfect for a long weekend of pampering. Juliet Izon, Glamour, 20 Feb. 2024 For a certain type of traveler, that is, one who appreciates artisan design work and homey touches but doesn’t need to be pampered. Sacramento Bee, 30 Jan. 2024 Find it on Amazon This Body Brush To Exfoliate Fast Shower time just got a lot more fun with this Body Brush that will work to cleanse, massage, exfoliate, and pamper your skin to perfection. Mia Meltzer, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2024 Residents will be pampered with dedicated staff, concierge services, on-site security, housekeeping services, in-residence dining, private chef services, and, for when there isn’t enough room to accommodate guests, preferred pricing for the hotel. Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 15 Feb. 2024 Shaq and Shaunie celebrated the upcoming addition to their family with an elaborate Miami Beach baby shower, complete with everything from pampering to poker. Lynsey Eidell, Peoplemag, 18 Jan. 2024 After getting pampered a the onsite spa, enjoy a beachfront dinner at your choice of the hotel's three restaurants. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 16 Dec. 2023 They are not pampered, but rather take constructive criticism well and apply it to boost their own performance. John Rau, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pamper.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near pamper

Cite this Entry

“Pamper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pamper. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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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