as in to entertain
to cause (someone) to pass the time agreeably occupied
the older girl amused her four-year-old sister at the family reunion by showing her off to all the relatives
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Recent Examples of amuse
Though some Destiny players are not amused.
—
Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The fun of this drink starts, of course, with the name, which weighs in at 11 words (and one punctuation mark) and with which people tend to be both amused and bemused.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 17 Jan. 2026
In December, the two sat down in Exactly Right’s Burbank headquarters — a setting that still amuses them both.
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
But he was definitely amused by the reaction.
—Wisdom Iheanyichukwu, Vanity Fair, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for amuse
Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The fun of this drink starts, of course, with the name, which weighs in at 11 words (and one punctuation mark) and with which people tend to be both amused and bemused.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 17 Jan. 2026
In December, the two sat down in Exactly Right’s Burbank headquarters — a setting that still amuses them both.
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
But he was definitely amused by the reaction.
—Wisdom Iheanyichukwu, Vanity Fair, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for amuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amuse
Verb
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For families La Sultana Oualidia welcomes guests of all ages, and offers a diverse range of activities to keep younger travelers entertained.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Feb. 2026
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If the federal government would stop putting on a violent show intended to suppress opposition and entertain their true believers, Pretti and Good would be alive.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Robbie is at her finest when regaling Charli XCX or Jessie Ware and her mom about her clubbing days.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
12 Feb. 2026
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Ninny regales Evelyn with tales of Idgi, her sister-in-law and friend who used to run the Whistle Stop Cafe, a restaurant on the outskirts of Birmingham, Alabama, that served good coffee, better barbecue, and great gossip.—
Amanda Favazza,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Amuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amuse. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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