entertain
verb (used with object)
to hold the attention of pleasantly or agreeably; divert; amuse.
had entertained
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past perfectof entertain.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
From his mansion tucked away in San Francisco’s rolling hills and an office downtown, he had entertained well-connected guests and grew particularly close to employees at the AI giant Anthropic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
Cortez was working at the time, so holding back her child, whose birthday is in August, would have been difficult even if she had entertained the option more seriously.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 24, 2026
“I just told him how much he had entertained our families,” Sheets said.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 1, 2024
Opened by his grandfather in 1932, the cinema located in Srinagar's Lal Chowk area had entertained Kashmiris for decades, before it was burnt down in 1993.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2022
As a boy and then as a young teenager, he had entertained himself with what he considered life’s essentials—his books, and the ideas and insights that constantly traveled through his active mind.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
