entertain
Americanverb (used with object)
-
entertains,
present (3rd person singular)
-
entertained,
past participle, past
-
entertaining
present participle
-
to hold the attention of pleasantly or agreeably; divert; amuse.
- Antonyms:
- bore
-
to have as a guest; provide food, lodging, etc., for; show hospitality to.
-
to admit into the mind; consider.
He never entertained such ideas.
- Antonyms:
- reject
-
to hold in the mind; harbor; cherish.
They secretly entertained thoughts of revenge.
-
Archaic. to maintain or keep up.
-
Obsolete. to give admittance or reception to; receive.
verb (used without object)
-
entertains,
present (3rd person singular)
-
entertained,
past participle, past
-
entertaining
present participle
verb
-
to provide amusement for (a person or audience)
-
to show hospitality to (guests)
-
(tr) to hold in the mind
to entertain an idea
Synonym Usage
See amuse.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
preentertainverb (used with object)
-
overentertainedadjective
-
unentertainedadjective
-
well-entertainedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
entertainsimple
-
entertainssimple
-
have entertainedperfect
-
has entertainedperfect
-
am entertainingprogressive
-
are entertainingprogressive
-
is entertainingprogressive
-
have been entertainingperfect progressive
-
has been entertainingperfect progressive
Past
-
entertainedsimple
-
had entertainedperfect
-
was entertainingprogressive
-
were entertainingprogressive
-
had been entertainingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of entertain
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English entertenen “to hold mutually,” from Middle French entretenir, ultimately from Vulgar Latin intertenēre (unrecorded), from Latin inter- inter- + tenēre “to hold”
Explanation
If you want to entertain, you've got to hold people's attention, usually with something amusing. Clowns, music, silly jokes, and a good game of charades can all be used to entertain. Did you know you can actually entertain ideas? It's not quite the same as entertaining friends with a good home cooked meal or tickets to the ball game, but still an appropriate way to use the word. To entertain an idea means to have it in mind or under consideration. For example, you never thought of studying abroad, but after a professor said it was one of the most meaningful experiences of his life, you started to entertain the idea of living in a foreign country.
Vocabulary lists containing entertain
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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!
"Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" by Patrick Henry (1775)
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!
"The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet," Vocabulary from Act 3
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.
See Examples For:
“How can you advance into leadership roles and entertain clients unless you know how to host, how to read a wine list and how to order?”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Outside, the grounds of the home display different sculptures, while a sizable pool area provides the perfect place for the family to entertain guests, or relax in the Atlanta sunshine.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026
He’d sometimes entertain colleagues by pulling out a bridge that covers his missing front teeth.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
For millennials like Tasmiyah Manan from Oakwood in north Leeds, South Asian broadcasting didn't just entertain; it shaped how she understood herself.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
But still, I entertain her nonsense because I have a few minutes to kill before I have to get back to the station.
From "Pride" by Ibi Zoboi
The formula still entertains, sure, but its bite has been blunted by the weight of copycats that came after the first installment.
From Salon ● Mar. 29, 2026
Host and journalist Anders Kvaal entertains both sides of the fracas with his ears open and his mouth largely shut.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 16, 2025
The paved terrace, for example, is an imitation of a similar space in Palm Beach where the president routinely entertains.
From Slate ● Aug. 5, 2025
"I think he's ultimately a very good, what I would call, ballroom entertainer. And he stands up and he entertains, and he's extremely good at that."
From BBC ● May 15, 2025
My easygoing, sweet, Bollywood-film-star mother entertains the world.
From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins
As if those amenities weren’t enough to keep the Hollywood star entertained, the property also features its own ski slope, as well as a tennis court.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
He entertained mass audiences so successfully that his murder mysteries, spy sagas and innocent-man-accused tales became their own genre: the Alfred Hitchcock Movie, often imitated but never equaled.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
The oil chief is an eloquent speaker whose TV appearances have entertained the president.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
The tension rose as the third set unfolded and the pair entertained the 15,000-strong crowd on Centre Court with top-quality groundstrokes and sensational quickfire play at the net.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
She rolls her eyes, clearly not entertained by me.
From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott
Out back, the leafy grounds are anchored by a private swimming pool and spa, creating a secluded spot for relaxing and entertaining.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
“All these Black artists are getting to tell stories in a way that is entertaining and benefiting us in cultural ways,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
Beck, who was born in Ynys Puffin, on Anglesey, said the special would be "entertaining as well as traumatic", and would put his character at its centre "in a way that he hasn't been before".
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
Things will get a lot less entertaining if we fail to do that.
From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2026
An idea had planted itself during my teary ride home—an idea so ridiculous I couldn’t believe I was entertaining it.
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
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.
