: pleasantly entertained or diverted (as by something funny)
She seemed slightly amused by his explanation.
: feeling or showing amusement
an amused smile
a crowd of amused spectators
I had often heard him speaking to her in an amused, confiding voice …Paula Fox
amusedly adjective
… she looked up into our curious faces and smiled amusedly and sweetly, as only a woman can smile … Jack London

Examples of amused in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The four women, studiously bent over their work, looked by turns irritated, amused, and exhausted. Henry Alford, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025 Why did Hall’s unusual habits attract so much amused commentary as the footage migrated to Instagram and X? Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2025 One woman's unusually persistent battle with a bottle of wine has left the internet both amused and deeply sympathetic. Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025 Kimmel gleefully posted the pic of a shocked Madonna, 66, reacting with amused horror at the sight of Andre’s bare bottom, as the comedian claimed that the singer definitely has a thing for him. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 8 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for amused

Word History

First Known Use

1728, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of amused was in 1728

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Amused.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amused. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on amused

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!