entertain
Americanverb (used with object)
-
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)
verb
-
to provide amusement for (a person or audience)
-
to show hospitality to (guests)
-
(tr) to hold in the mind
to entertain an idea
Related Words
See amuse.
Other Word Forms
- overentertained adjective
- preentertain verb (used with object)
- unentertained adjective
- well-entertained adjective
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”
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.
No one entertains the idea that one person’s graffitied tribute to a male gladiator might have been defaced by giving the picture breasts.
A caller shared that what finally unlocked regular entertaining for her was a simple garden flag.
From Salon
To entertain her, I play my tambourine, and she claps her little hands.
From Literature
But he entertained audiences in many ways, with everything from blatant hoaxes to Shakespearean theater.
One of them will usually be entertaining Evelyn as the other is on the console, meaning they can't play Friday the 13th and other games together.
From BBC
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.
