1
as in to amuse
to cause (someone) to pass the time agreeably occupied
entertain the kids while I go and prepare dinner
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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 program begins with New Wave Filmmakers, a roundtable exploring filmmakers’ experience with the dual goals of making money while telling stories that can both entertain and inspire transformation.
—
Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 9 Sep. 2025
Lego sets are a foolproof way to keep everyone entertained, and Target recently dropped so many new kits.
—Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Ripe figs are the star of this sophisticated salad, perfect for entertaining guests.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Sep. 2025
Clowns entertain crowds at local fairs by twisting skinny balloons into poodles and swords.
—Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for entertain
Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 9 Sep. 2025
Lego sets are a foolproof way to keep everyone entertained, and Target recently dropped so many new kits.
—Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Ripe figs are the star of this sophisticated salad, perfect for entertaining guests.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Sep. 2025
Clowns entertain crowds at local fairs by twisting skinny balloons into poodles and swords.
—Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for entertain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for entertain
Verb
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Powerful real estate developer Frank (Tracy Letts) looks at Lee like a pesky bug that keeps flitting about, yet he’s also amused by his antics.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
4 Sep. 2025
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On TikTok, Kobe's antics left viewers amused.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That same year the Clippers and Aspiration signed deals that contemplated a $300 million partnership for Aspiration to sponsor the Clippers’ arena and the team’s jersey patch.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
5 Sep. 2025
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The film’s title carries particular significance for Yoon, who has been contemplating it for 15 years.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Kaivan Shroff, a 2024 delegate for Harris, said the former vice president has the right to tell the story of her campaign, as does Biden, who has conducted a few interviews and speeches since leaving office.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Sep. 2025
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Kirk, a prominent voice in culture wars on college campuses, hosts a daily radio show and podcast, The Charlie Kirk Show, which ranks among the top 10 on Apple News’ list of top podcasts and has a strong Gen Z fan base.—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Appel also regaled the audience with his strategy that resulted in Springsteen getting on the cover of both Time and Newsweek.—
Caryn Rose,
Variety,
7 Sep. 2025
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The 21-time PGA Tour winner engaged a small group on a practice green, going over technique, drills and flatstick psychology while also regaling them with stories about golf greats—like how keeping an eye on the hole helped Beth Daniel transform her putting game.—
Mike Dojc,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In her conversation with Interview, Peters pondered whether the next Great American Novelist could be trans.—
Grace Byron,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
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Here are some points to ponder over based on the insights from this emerging research.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Republicans hold a strong majority in both chambers of the General Assembly, holding 29 out of 35 seats in the Senate and 81 of 100 seats in the House.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Sep. 2025
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Ellison held second place prior to earnings release Ellison’s rise comes a day after Forbes released its list of the world’s richest people.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Still, that isn’t a factor when considering how hard and inspired the Broncos played in front of a ninth straight sellout crowd at Albertsons Stadium.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Sep. 2025
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First things first — 1831 is a ludicrously early start date here, considering England didn’t play their first international until 1872.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The product launches demonstrate how Europe’s legacy manufacturers are taking the fight to their Chinese rivals, in a bid to both retain market share in the European Union and offset declining sales in China, the world’s largest car market.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
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While most wellness apps retain just 3–4% of users after a month (30% for human coaches), Wellness Coach keeps 87% engaged.—
Gil Press,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Entertain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/entertain. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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