Synonyms

amused

American

[uh-myoozd] / əˈmyuzd /

adjective

pleasurably entertained, occupied, or diverted.
displaying amusement.

an amused expression on her face.
aroused to mirth.

Other Word Forms

amusedly adverb
unamused adjective
well-amused adjective

Etymology

Origin of amused

First recorded in 1590–1600; amuse + -ed ² ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does amused compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

bemused vs. amused

Explanation

The word amused means "pleasantly occupied" or "entertained.” If you love dogs, you’ll be amused just watching puppies frolic in the park all day. If you love everything, you’re easily amused. Amuse comes from the Middle French word amuser, meaning "to divert the attention, beguile, delude." If on a boring rainy afternoon, you amused everyone, you entertained everyone, probably making them laugh. If you were ever told, "I'm not amused," however, this goes beyond not finding something funny — that person might be angry and offended at something you said or did.

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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.

Still, I was surprised and slightly amused when Noah asked, in all seriousness, if I would like to go to a yoga class with him and then get dinner afterward.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

Everyone laughed, but Kidner, now 66, wasn’t amused.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026

Many of his followers doubtless find that his most appealing quality, but the rest of the world is no longer amused.

From Salon • Mar. 19, 2026

Keaton’s longtime pal Mr. Allen would surely be amused by the woman who says she imagines God to be like Groucho Marx.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 7, 2026

He presses his lips together as if I’ve amused him, but he doesn’t want to make me any madder by showing it.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023