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
Derived 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
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ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 6
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12 More Interesting Ways to Say "interesting"
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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.
Each individual set piece is its own jewel of craftsmanship, usually combining the revolting with the amusing.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
They make for an amusing odd couple entering the inner sanctums of the uber-wealthy in the New York metro area, often asked to do extra maintenance tasks.
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026
She says it would be "disingenuous" to say the entire series had been "incredibly amusing" but she didn't expect perfection "from week one".
From BBC • May 17, 2026
At the time, watching these videos didn’t elicit nausea or repulsion in Jemima—they came across as amusing.
From Slate • May 12, 2026
As usual Beth lay on the sofa and Laurie sat in a low chair close by, amusing her with all sorts of gossip, for she depended on her weekly ‘spin’, and he never disappointed her.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
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.
