amusement
Americannoun
-
amusements
plural
-
anything that amuses or entertains; pastime.
The park offers authentic Danish charm and an array of amusements and thrill rides.
- Synonyms:
- game
-
the act of amusing or entertaining; diversion.
He invented indoor golf games for his own amusement, and for the amusement of his children.
-
the state of being amused; enjoyment.
Mom couldn't hide her amusement when my little sister tried to make dinner.
- Synonyms:
- delight
noun
-
something that amuses, such as a game or other pastime
-
a mechanical device used for entertainment, as at a fair
-
the act of amusing or the state or quality of being amused
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of amusement
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Middle French; see origin at amuse, -ment
Explanation
Amusement is a feeling of being entertained and happy. Just think about how you feel when you visit an amusement park, and you will get the idea. When something amuses you, it makes you laugh, holds your attention, entertains you, or all three. An amusement is an activity that produces that type of feeling. Watching a basketball game and flying a kite are amusements. Also, doing something fun fills you with the emotion of amusement. To amuse is to entertain, and when you add the suffix -ment to the end of the verb, you get the noun or the feeling you gain from being amused.
Vocabulary lists containing amusement
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Enjoy! Synonyms for "Pleasure"
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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.
See Examples For:
While experts played down the wider significance of the vote in a constituency that overwhelmingly backed Brexit a decade ago, the by-election has drawn international attention and amusement.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
Much of the early gondola opposition was from Chinatown residents who didn’t like the idea of living under what would resemble an amusement park ride.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
Activities "such as skydiving, white-water rafting, roller coasters or other amusement rides" would "fall short of the standard".
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Readers who might be unaware of this facility should imagine an amusement park minus the fun and whimsy.
From Salon ● Jul. 10, 2026
“Yeah! Maybe they’re famous members of a boy band, and they don’t want anyone to know that they also dabble in western-themed amusement parks because it would ruin their cool pop-star image.”
From "Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus" by Dusti Bowling
One diarist, Samuel Bamford, gave up a warehouse job to become a weaver and wrote that the change gave him leisure time to enjoy “country amusements with the other young fellows.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 28, 2025
Much like its kiddie counterpart, Chuck’s Arcade offers a blend of retro and modern amusements — classics like Donkey Kong and Mortal Kombat sit alongside newer fare like Halo and Connect Four Hoops.
From Salon ● Jul. 3, 2025
Ride owners, or controllers, are responsible for making sure their amusements are safe by having them thoroughly inspected.
From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2025
Now proprietors are going after adults with concepts like Holey Moley and Punch Bowl Social, which combines eating and drinking with nostalgic amusements such as billiards, bowling, darts and arcade games.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2025
On his birthdays he dragged it up and down the alley, to give proper attention to the amusements held in his name.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
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.
