amused; amusing

transitive verb

1
a
: to entertain or occupy in a light, playful, or pleasant manner
She tried to amuse the child with a story.
b
: to appeal to the sense of humor of
His jokes don't amuse me.
2
a
archaic : to divert the attention of so as to deceive
b
obsolete : to occupy the attention of : absorb
c
obsolete : distract, bewilder

intransitive verb

obsolete : muse
amuser noun

Did you know?

Are amused and bemused synonyms?

Many people link bemused with amused, believing that the former word carries the meaning “amused, with a touch of something else.” While this was not its original sense, bemused has been used in such a fashion for long enough, and by enough people, that the meaning “having feelings of wry amusement especially from something that is surprising or perplexing" has become established. You may use bemuse in this fashion if you wish, but bear in mind that some people find it objectionable, insisting that bemused and amused are entirely distinct and that bemused properly means “marked by confusion or bewilderment.” It is worth noting that before bemused indicated confusion it had the meaning (especially among poets) “devoted to the Muses.”

Choose the Right Synonym for amuse

amuse, divert, entertain mean to pass or cause to pass the time pleasantly.

amuse suggests that one's attention is engaged lightly.

amuse yourselves while I make dinner

divert implies distracting attention from worry or routine occupation especially by something funny.

a light comedy to divert the tired businessman

entertain suggests supplying amusement by specially contrived methods.

a magician entertaining children at a party

Examples of amuse in a Sentence

It amuses me to think of how he looked when I last saw him. a funny story that never fails to amuse He amused himself with a game of solitaire.
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.
Borisov artfully underplays the progression: He’s taken aback by her feral resistance, amused by her spirit, then really sees her. Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 26 Nov. 2024 But Rostami and Rasoulof are also keenly aware of, and even amused by the irony of, how their lives have played out. Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Nov. 2024 Fans were amused by the basketball team taking the city's public transit system. Marina Watts, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024 Dunkin' Donuts has amused its fanbase and competitors alike following a rather spicy post to the brand's Instagram account. Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 25 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for amuse 

Word History

Etymology

Middle French amuser, from Old French, from a- (from Latin ad-) + muser to muse

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of amuse was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near amuse

Cite this Entry

“Amuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amuse. Accessed 11 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

amuse

verb
amused; amusing
1
: to occupy with something pleasant
amuse a child with a toy
2
: to please the sense of humor of
the story amused everyone
amusedly adverb
amusingly
-ˈmyü-ziŋ-lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on amuse

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