entertain

verb

en·ter·tain | \ ˌen-tər-ˈtān

entertained; entertaining; entertains

Definition of entertain

transitive verb

1a archaic : maintain

b obsolete : receive

2 : to show hospitality to entertain guests

3a : to keep, hold, or maintain in the mind I entertain grave doubts about her sincerity

b : to receive and take into consideration refused to entertain our plea

4 : to provide entertainment for

5 : to play against (an opposing team) on one's home field or court

intransitive verb

: to provide entertainment especially for guests

Other Words from entertain Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about entertain

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Choose the Right Synonym for entertain

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 entertain in a Sentence

They like to entertain their friends at their summer home. Much of his job as a salesman involves entertaining clients. Jugglers were on hand to entertain the crowd. Our father entertained us with stories. Our father's stories entertained us.

Recent Examples on the Web

The listing also notes that there is a bonus room and a large outdoor patio so there’s plenty of space for entertaining guests. — Megan Stein, Country Living, "You Can Buy This Brand-New Farmhouse Designed by Joanna Gaines," 22 Jan. 2019 The result is a boxy, roomy camper that can fit a crowd for entertaining or a family for sleep. — Megan Barber, Curbed, "Remote-controlled camper trailer pops up in 30 seconds," 19 Oct. 2018 The statement came as the administration faced a mounting backlash for even entertaining Putin's proposal, which pertained to the Robert Mueller probe. — Alex Pappas, Fox News, "Trump invites Putin to visit Washington, White House says," 19 July 2018 The bar area makes entertaining more convenient and provides an additional row of seating. — Adrienne Gaffney, WSJ, "An Oscar-Worthy Home Theater in the Family Basement," 16 Jan. 2019 But anyone who has entertained visions of owning a villa in the Italian countryside and spending their days drinking wine against a rolling vineyard backdrop isn’t thinking big enough. — Jennifer Fernandez, House Beautiful, "You Can Buy This Stunning Tuscan Castle In Italy," 22 Dec. 2018 Worried about how to keep the kids entertained for hours? — Alison Caporimo, Seventeen, "6 Tips For Teen Babysitters That Are Totally Life-Changing," 21 Dec. 2018 And the country’s Paro robot, a therapeutic bot that mimics a baby harp seal, is used in nursing homes to engage and entertain dementia patients. — James Vincent, The Verge, "Japan’s latest home robot isn’t useful — it’s designed to be loved," 20 Dec. 2018 Here, two of our favorite hosts weigh in with clever strategies that elevate entertaining to an art form. — Talia Abbas, SELF, "How to Throw a Laid-Back Holiday Party at Home, from the Team at A Summer Day Cafe," 6 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'entertain.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.