entertainment

noun

en·​ter·​tain·​ment ˌen-tər-ˈtān-mənt 

ˌin-

1

a

: amusement or diversion provided especially by performers

hired a band to provide entertainment

b

: something diverting or engaging: such as

(1)

: a public performance

(2)

: a usually light comic or adventure novel

2

: the act of entertaining

3

a

archaic : maintenance, provision

b

obsolete : employment

Synonyms of entertainment

• amusement
• recreation
• enjoyment
• production
• diversion

Examples of entertainment in a Sentence

Entertainment was provided by jugglers.

plays, movies, and other forms of entertainment

They played games in the evening for entertainment.

plays, movies, and other entertainments

Recent Examples on the Web

But his interests ultimately shifted toward the business side of entertainment. — Preston Fore, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2026

Its team of more than 450 professionals works across major sporting and live events as well as non-fiction, entertainment, documentary and current-affairs programming. — Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026

There’s a fragmented culture where all corners of the entertainment world are struggling to produce new versions of the sort of ubiquitous, four-quadrant successes that consumers recall as regular occurrences in earlier decades. — Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2026

Neighbors said in an email to The Star that the development offers a chance to own a home in Lenexa’s City Center, which features restaurants, shopping and entertainment. — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing entertainment

• entertainment value
• non-entertainment

Rhymes for entertainment

• ascertainment
• arraignment
• attainment
• containment
• entrainment
• sustainment

Kids Definition

entertainment

noun

en·​ter·​tain·​ment ˌen-tər-ˈtān-mənt 

1

: the act or process of providing pleasure, recreation, or amusement

2

: a means of amusement or recreation

especially : a public performance