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.
As well as entertaining, as well as insightful and impactful.”
From Los Angeles Times
Oscars host Conan O’Brien said his job will be about balancing ‘entertaining people and also acknowledging some of the realities’ of the time.
From Los Angeles Times
“My job is to always try and hit this very, very thin line between entertaining people and also acknowledging some of the realities,” O’Brien said during a Wednesday news conference with the Oscars creative team.
From Los Angeles Times
“It does take you having to wave the flag of, ‘Hey, this is a serious movie,’ and some want to be entertained, and quickly,” Chalamet began.
From Salon
I attempt to entertain Teddy with Magna-Tiles and Legos and picture books, but he just sits on the ground, his bottom lip quivering, barely talking or playing.
From Literature
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.
