amused
Americanadjective
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pleasurably entertained, occupied, or diverted.
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displaying amusement.
an amused expression on her face.
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aroused to mirth.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of amused
First recorded in 1590–1600; amuse + -ed 2 ( def. )
Compare meaning
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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
In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions
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Hooked on a Feeling, List 2
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Positive and Uplifting Tones
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The few protesters taunted the agents, who mostly amused themselves.
From Slate • May 29, 2026
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
So when he and his wife, photographer Ryane Shields, decided to build a California home in 2018, they were amused to discover that the lot they selected was shaped like a baseball diamond.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026
Everyone laughed, but Kidner, now 66, wasn’t amused.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026
The hall lamp was now lit, and it amused her to look over the balustrade and watch the servants passing backwards and forwards.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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.
