- present participle of entertain.
entertaining
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of entertaining
Explanation
Things that are entertaining are enjoyable and distracting. Going to the circus is an entertaining way to spend an afternoon. Activities like playing games and watching movies can be entertaining, and you can also describe a friend who's particularly funny or fun to be with as entertaining. The adjective comes from the related verb, entertain, which meant "keep up, maintain, or keep someone in a certain frame of mind" in the fifteenth century. It comes from the Old French entretenir, "hold together."
Vocabulary lists containing entertaining
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Like many horror films, it’s entertaining even when it’s simply decent.
From Salon • Jun. 4, 2026
There is also a full wet bar, ideal for entertaining, as well as a second staircase that leads to the upper level directly from the kitchen.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 4, 2026
Three years later, he told one of his papers, the Post-Standard of Syracuse, N.Y., that newspapers can survive “by producing content that is relevant, interesting, accurate and entertaining for newspapers and the internet.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026
Calderstones pupil Ben described the friends as "really entertaining" and "a good advert for enjoying yourself and finding new things to do".
From BBC • May 24, 2026
This wealthy young entrepreneur might not be such a bad sort, if he was prepared to pass the time of day entertaining children.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
