entertainment

American  

[en-ter-teyn-muhnt] / ˌɛn tərˈteɪn mənt /

noun

1. the act of entertaining; entertaining; agreeable occupation for the mind; diversion; amusement.

   Solving the daily crossword puzzle is an entertainment for many.

2. something affording pleasure, diversion, or amusement, especially a performance of some kind.

   The highlight of the ball was an elaborate entertainment.

3. hospitable provision for the needs and wants of guests.

4. a divertingly adventurous, comic, or picaresque novel.

5. Obsolete. maintenance in service.

---

entertainment British  

/ ˌɛntəˈteɪnmənt /

noun

1. the act or art of entertaining or state of being entertained

2. an act, production, etc, that entertains; diversion; amusement

---

Other Word Forms

• nonentertainment noun
• preentertainment noun
• self-entertainment noun

Etymology

Origin of entertainment

First recorded in 1525–35; entertain + -ment

Example Sentences

Two teams fancied to challenge for the title this season produced a gripping day's entertainment as Surrey recovered from their early disarray to be all out for 328 in the last over of the day.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Gladiatorial combat in ancient Rome was carefully managed entertainment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

While the former model maintained a presence in the entertainment industry in the years that followed, she made a career pivot to real estate in June 2020.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

On the entertainment side, Prentiss believes that the improving profitability of streaming will eventually be a larger contributor to earnings growth than experiences.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

Several acts of vaudeville tonight for my entertainment.

From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger