entertaining

adjective

en·​ter·​tain·​ing ˌen-tər-ˈtā-niŋ How to pronounce entertaining (audio)
: providing entertainment : diverting
an entertaining book
an entertaining speaker
entertainingly adverb

Examples of entertaining in a Sentence

a list of entertaining things to do on a snow day
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.
Ker’s attempts to get fit enough to run a marathon in aid of the Wrexham Miners Project proved an entertaining subplot throughout series four. Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 27 June 2025 Snag outdoor storage boxes, side tables, and rolling bar carts for entertaining. Rachel Trujillo, People.com, 27 June 2025 The main floor features a flowing open-concept living room, a gourmet kitchen with a double-wide island ripe for entertaining, and a formal dining room perfect for family gatherings . Miriam Schwartz, Boston Herald, 27 June 2025 And for them, solving murders, consorting with mobsters, and adopting aliases all turn out to be more life-affirming—not to mention entertaining—than chair yoga and a salt-free diet. The New Yorker, New Yorker, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for entertaining

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of entertaining was in 1582

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Cite this Entry

“Entertaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entertaining. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

entertaining

adjective
en·​ter·​tain·​ing ˌen-tər-ˈtān-iŋ How to pronounce entertaining (audio)
: providing amusement, diversion, or recreation
an entertaining book
entertainingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on entertaining

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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