personal indulgences

USAGE SUMMARY

"personal indulgences" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to refer to activities or habits that provide personal pleasure or satisfaction, often at the expense of discipline or moderation. Example: "She often spends her weekends indulging in her personal indulgences, such as gourmet cooking and spa treatments." Alternative expressions include "personal pleasures," "self-indulgences," and "individual luxuries."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

Sometimes it is easier to keep those personal indulgences off the ledger.

The New York Times

But when it comes to personal indulgences, there are signs that the wallets are beginning to open up.

The New York Times

Like many admirers who tended Ray in the hope that he might recover and work again, Eisenschitz glosses over the bisexuality and quite ruinous personal indulgences.

The Guardian - Film

The author can be forgiven one or two internal inconsistencies — he's performed versions of this story for years — as well as a few personal indulgences.

The New York Times

That's why we don't want to entrust national security, corporate finances, or leadership of a major enterprise to people who can't put institutional interests above personal indulgences or turn in an honest expense report.

Harvard Business Review

Ramona Diaz made this "Independent Lens" documentary about a "shy young beauty" who became the first lady of the Philippines, famous for shocking abuses of power and personal indulgences (like the famed shoe collection).

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

"It's my personal indulgence," Mr. Callum said.

The New York Times

Mr. Newhouse's major personal indulgence is collecting modern art.

The New York Times

In no personal indulgence, though, did Stanford take greater pleasure than his horses.

The New York Times - Books

I have this incredible advantage of being independent and this being kind of my personal indulgence.

The New York Times

The purchase of a fractional should be viewed as a "luxury product, a personal indulgence," said Mr. Tidswell.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In professional or financial writing, use the phrase to distinguish between legitimate business expenses and private, discretionary spending.

Common error

Avoid applying the term "personal indulgences" to basic human rights or essential needs. Using it in these contexts can accidentally imply that a necessity is an optional luxury, which may offend the reader or weaken your argument.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "personal indulgences" functions as a plural noun phrase. It typically acts as the direct object of a verb or follows a preposition to categorize specific behaviors. As observed in Ludwig, it is structurally robust and fits seamlessly into complex sentence patterns without losing clarity.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Formal & Business

10%

Science

4%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "personal indulgences" is a versatile and sophisticated phrase used to describe the private habits and luxuries that define individual lifestyle. Ludwig AI identifies it as a correct and highly useful term that appears most frequently in News & Media and Business contexts. Whether used to describe a passion for rare cars or the minor habits of a CEO, it conveys a sense of harmless luxury and individual choice. Writers should feel confident using this phrase in any context where a professional yet descriptive tone is required, provided they avoid trivializing essential needs by labeling them as mere indulgences.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

self-indulgences

Focuses more on the internal psychological state of giving in to desires.

individual luxuries

Emphasizes the material cost and status of the specific items or experiences.

private pleasures

Suggests a sense of intimacy or secrecy regarding what one enjoys.

private extravagances

Highlights the excessive or unnecessary nature of the spending.

personal treats

Adopts a softer and more casual tone, often used for smaller rewards.

secret vices

Adds a moral connotation or implies the habit is hidden from others.

subjective gratifications

Provides a more formal or clinical perspective on personal satisfaction.

exclusive comforts

Links the pleasure to ease and a high-end lifestyle.

individual whims

Suggests the indulgence is based on sudden or unpredictable impulses.

solitary enjoyments

Points specifically to activities that are enjoyed while alone.

FAQs

How do I use "personal indulgences" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe discretionary habits, for example: "Despite his frugal reputation, he had a few "personal indulgences", such as collecting rare vinyl records."

What can I say instead of "personal indulgences"?

Depending on the context, you can use terms like "<a href="/s/self-indulgences" target="_blank" rel="alternative">self-indulgences", "<a href="/s/private+pleasures" target="_blank" rel="alternative">private pleasures" or "<a href="/s/individual+luxuries" target="_blank" rel="alternative">individual luxuries".

What is the difference between "personal indulgences" and <a href="/s/self-indulgence" target="_blank" rel="alternative">self-indulgence?

The term "personal indulgences" refers to the specific items or acts themselves, whereas "<a href="/s/self-indulgence" target="_blank" rel="alternative">self-indulgence" usually refers to the character trait or the general state of being indulgent.

Is "personal indulgences" appropriate for formal business writing?

Yes, it is frequently used in business contexts, such as those found in The Wall Street Journal or Forbes, to describe executive spending that is separate from company interests.