entertaining
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of entertaining
Explanation
Things that are entertaining are enjoyable and distracting. Going to the circus is an entertaining way to spend an afternoon. Activities like playing games and watching movies can be entertaining, and you can also describe a friend who's particularly funny or fun to be with as entertaining. The adjective comes from the related verb, entertain, which meant "keep up, maintain, or keep someone in a certain frame of mind" in the fifteenth century. It comes from the Old French entretenir, "hold together."
Vocabulary lists containing entertaining
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.
Sharp, smartly paced and entertaining, it’s fantastic until the last stretch, which peters out and then abruptly stops.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
Late-night comedy has a long history of offering Americans valuable political critique wrapped in ironic and entertaining wit.
From Salon • May 19, 2026
Several of the living spaces open up directly to the backyard, which features a large pool, several entertaining spaces, and ample room for outdoor dining.
From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026
What I really dwelled on was thinking about how to tell this story in a way that was approachable and entertaining for people.
From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026
Judging from their expressions, I could see that the other side of the class was entertaining the same question.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
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.
