amusement

noun

amuse·​ment ə-ˈmyüz-mənt 

1

: a means of amusing or entertaining

what are her favorite amusements

2

: the condition of being amused

could not hide his amusement

3

: pleasurable diversion : entertainment

plays the piano for amusement

Synonyms of amusement

• entertainment
• recreation

Examples of amusement in a Sentence

I'm reading this novel for amusement.

Several games were provided for the education and amusement of the children.

Recent Examples on the Web

Sondheim also collected antique board games; his first acquisition, a gift, was a nineteenth-century amusement called the New and Fashionable Game of the Jew, which featured an antisemitic caricature perched over gold coins. —Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2025

The Instagram video has been liked nearly 75,000 times, sparking reactions ranging from amusement to mild disbelief. —Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 6 Dec. 2025

Compared with strongholds like Disney and Universal, the amusement-park corporation has faced closures and layoffs and relied on investors such as Travis Kelce to stay afloat. —Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025

The clips have quickly spread online, sparking equal parts awe, amusement, and unease. —Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 5 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Phrases Containing amusement

• amusement arcade
• amusement park
• to one's amusement

Kids Definition

amusement

noun

amuse·​ment ə-ˈmyüz-mənt 

1

: something that amuses

2

: the condition of being amused