amused
Americanadjective
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pleasurably entertained, occupied, or diverted.
-
displaying amusement.
an amused expression on her face.
-
aroused to mirth.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of amused
First recorded in 1590–1600; amuse + -ed 2 ( def. )
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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.
Vocabulary lists containing amused
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Hooked on a Feeling, List 2
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Positive and Uplifting Tones
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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.
Jessica amused herself by preparing her father for the tremors of future old age: She would jostle his hand as he tried to drink his tea.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
Speaking over Zoom from New York, dressed in his typical wardrobe of black shirt and black sport jacket, Mungiu is wryly amused when I ask if that Dracula dig was inspired by personal experience.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
"We can't even fill the coffee cups to the brim or they spill," his son Linus, 19, added with an air of amused exasperation.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
The pair feared they would get in trouble, but race security was more amused than angry, they recalled.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
“Those are the two possibilities,” the voice said, now sounding amused.
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
