1
as in to amuse
to cause (someone) to pass the time agreeably occupied
entertain the kids while I go and prepare dinner
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to contemplate
to give serious and careful thought to
have you ever entertained the thought that you could be wrong?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to have
to keep in one's mind or heart
I don't entertain the hope of ever getting a girl like that to go out with me
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of entertain
The 2022 move to its current home, near South Coast Plaza, was widely viewed as a chance to raise the museum’s reputation and solidify its role as a place to be entertained and challenged by art.
—
Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 30 Sep. 2025
The fictionalization is bound to upset and entertain in equal measure, especially after the success of last season's sensational take on Lyle and Erik Menendez's story.
—Madeleine Janz, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025
And then there is Sunnei, the smaller, independent unisex label by Loris Messina and Simone Rizzo, which never fails to entertain guests with its tongue-in-cheek show formats.
—Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
Senate Democrats have discussed offering shorter-term funding proposals in the event of a government shutdown, but Republicans aren’t entertaining anything beyond their initial plan right now.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for entertain
Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 30 Sep. 2025
The fictionalization is bound to upset and entertain in equal measure, especially after the success of last season's sensational take on Lyle and Erik Menendez's story.
—Madeleine Janz, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025
And then there is Sunnei, the smaller, independent unisex label by Loris Messina and Simone Rizzo, which never fails to entertain guests with its tongue-in-cheek show formats.
—Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
Senate Democrats have discussed offering shorter-term funding proposals in the event of a government shutdown, but Republicans aren’t entertaining anything beyond their initial plan right now.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for entertain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for entertain
Verb
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Viewers on Reddit were amused by the extortionate price shown for the vacation deal in the recent post, with several sharing their sarcastic takes on it.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Textured toys overhead amuse babies on their backs while musical toys entertain during tummy time and when learning to crawl.—
Pamela Brill,
Parents,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Hoover bounces back with a clean game, while Coach Prime contemplates making a quarterback change.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Oct. 2025
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In 2024, almost one in four Americans experienced mental illness, almost 18% had substance abuse problems and over 5% had contemplated suicide, according to the news release.—
Ray Stern,
AZCentral.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Ford had a challenging first half of 2025 with 88 vehicle recalls with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, according to NHTSA data, which now surpasses the record set by General Motors of 77 recalls for all of 2014, the Detroit Free Press previously reported.—
Olivia Evans,
Louisville Courier Journal,
2 Oct. 2025
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Ohio has 13 Costco warehouse locations.—
Alex Perry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Throughout the games, Snoop will appear alongside NBC Olympics host Mike Tirico and regale primetime audiences with his unique perspective on the goings on in Northern Italy during the winter games.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
29 Sep. 2025
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Like his Washington, Bargatze’s Farnsworth regaled a trio of underlings (SNL cast members Bowen Yang, Mikey Day, and James Austin Johnson) with ridiculous yet accurate predictions for the future, in this case of TV.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This includes watching the sketches Stiller & Meara performed on countless talk shows, critiquing their respective styles and pondering how much or little from their seemingly candid appearances and interviews was meant to be taken as truth and not performance.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Oct. 2025
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Many pondered what McDavid, many who believe is the NHL’s best player, would do.—
Greg Liodice,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Republicans balked, accusing Democrats of holding the government hostage by standing in the way of continued federal funding unless their health-care demands are met.—
Kevin Breuninger,Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
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While Avatar 2 will have 90% of the Imax, One Battle After Another will hold onto its Imax 70MM auditoriums.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Front Office Sports reported Friday that Stars ownership is considering a site in Plano, Texas, approximately 20 miles from Dallas.—
Rob Rossi,
New York Times,
4 Oct. 2025
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In traditional Chinese medicine, this spice is considered to have antiseptic and digestive benefits.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The leaves start changing in early October in far northern Hokkaido, while in Tokyo and Kyoto, fiery maples and golden gingko can retain their color until late November/early December.—
Kristin Braswell,
AFAR Media,
7 Oct. 2025
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The service up to them has been lacking in quality, but finding a way to retain possession would be helpful.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Entertain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/entertain. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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