- present participle of amuse.
adjective
Synonym Usage
Amusing, comical, droll describe that which causes mirth. That which is amusing is quietly humorous or funny in a gentle, good-humored way: The baby's attempts to talk were amusing. That which is comical causes laughter by being incongruous, witty, or ludicrous: His huge shoes made the clown look comical. Droll adds to comical the idea of strange or peculiar, and sometimes that of sly or waggish humor: the droll antics of a kitten; a droll imitation.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of amusing
Explanation
The adjective amusing describes someone or something that makes you laugh. Something that you find amusing, like your favorite stand up comic, might be less amusing to your easily offended grandmother. A pastime that's enjoyably diverting can also be described as amusing, like playing board games on a rainy day. Amusing comes from the verb amuse, which is itself from the Middle French word amuser. Interestingly, amuser meant "to stare at stupidly," and the English word originally meant "to deceive by distraction." The more benign funny and enjoyable meanings didn't arise until much later, but they eventually made the original meaning obsolete.
Vocabulary lists containing amusing
Tone and Point of View, List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 6
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
12 More Interesting Ways to Say "interesting"
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.
That doesn't mean that comedy should suffer, with Seale saying that every time a scene could deliver a "killer gag", instead it was just "gently amusing".
From BBC • Jun. 30, 2026
These jokes don’t even come off as ill-intentioned; they’re just not amusing.
From Salon • Jun. 11, 2026
There’s a tension between the update’s good intentions and the tendency of musical comedy to traffic in amusing caricatures.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
Thanks to the subtlety of Ms. Garman’s character portraits, Honor and her “dear houseguests” are as affecting as they are amusing.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
It was an amusing game, to imagine what might become of each of them!
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
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.
