Synonyms of entertaining

entertaining 1 of 2

adjective

ˌen-tər-ˈtā-niŋ 

as in amusing

providing amusement or enjoyment

a list of entertaining things to do on a snow day

Synonyms & Similar Words

• amusing
• fun
• enjoyable
• delightful
• exciting
• pleasurable
• funny
• nice
• pleasant
• diverting
• humorous
• satisfying
• recreational
• welcome
• happy
• merry
• hilarious
• beguiling
• ridiculous
• comical
• agreeable
• comic
• thrilling
• riotous
• jovial
• ludicrous
• farcical
• laughable
• uproarious
• stimulating
• jolly
• sunny
• droll
• gleeful
• antic
• sidesplitting
• mirthful
• risible
• jocose
• jocund
• gay
• blithesome

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• boring
• tedious
• uninteresting
• tiresome
• dull
• monotonous
• tiring
• heavy
• wearisome
• weary
• flat
• ponderous
• drab
• pedestrian
• dreary
• stuffy
• humdrum
• stodgy
• leaden
• unpleasant
• wearying
• disagreeable
• distasteful
• unwelcome
• pleasureless
• jading
• uncongenial
• unpleasing
• displeasing
• unlovely

entertaining

2 of 2

verb

present participle of entertain

1

as in regaling

to cause (someone) to pass the time agreeably occupied

entertain the kids while I go and prepare dinner

Synonyms & Similar Words

• amusing
• regaling
• distracting
• interesting
• diverting
• delighting
• pleasing
• occupying
• appeasing
• engrossing
• enchanting
• captivating
• engaging
• charming
• consoling
• intriguing
• solacing
• fascinating
• comforting
• involving
• disporting
• busying
• mesmerizing
• immersing
• gratifying
• bewitching
• hypnotizing
• absorbing
• soothing
• spoiling
• beguiling
• humoring
• enthralling
• indulging
• gripping
• pampering
• pleasuring
• contenting
• placating
• obliging
• coddling
• pacifying
• propitiating
• conciliating
• mollifying
• mollycoddling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• boring
• exhausting
• tiring
• draining
• wearing
• enervating
• fatiguing
• wearying
• wearing out
• jading
• exasperating
• aggravating
• disturbing
• annoying
• harassing
• upsetting
• bothering
• vexing
• perturbing
• grating
• pestering
• bugging
• harrying
• chafing
• galling
• fretting
• nettling
• irking
• piquing
• peeving

2

as in considering

to give serious and careful thought to

have you ever entertained the thought that you could be wrong?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• considering
• debating
• pondering
• contemplating
• studying
• questioning
• exploring
• weighing
• reviewing
• analyzing
• eyeing
• ruminating
• looking at
• thinking (about or over)
• deliberating
• cogitating
• meditating
• revolving
• wrestling (with)
• mulling (over)
• chewing on
• poring (over)
• perpending
• turning
• chewing over
• digesting
• kicking around
• reminiscing
• reflecting (on or upon)
• beating one's brains out (about)
• reasoning
• cudgeling one's brains (about)
• musing (upon)
• absorbing
• believing
• concluding
• opining
• speculating (about)
• dwelling (on or upon)
• fixating (on or upon)
• brooding (about or over)
• obsessing (about or over)
• assimilating
• fretting (about or over)
• conceiving
• second-guessing
• drinking (in)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignoring
• overlooking
• disregarding
• dismissing
• rejecting
• slighting
• pooh-poohing

3

as in having

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• having
• holding
• retaining
• keeping
• harboring
• cultivating
• cherishing
• maintaining
• holding on to
• nursing
• remembering
• bearing
• carrying
• sustaining
• nurturing
• hanging on to
• fostering
• supporting
• preserving
• hugging
• sticking (to)
• clinging (to)
• treasuring
• cleaving (to)
• brooding (about or over)
• fixating (on or upon)
• obsessing (about or over)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignoring
• forgetting
• overlooking
• neglecting
• disregarding
• denying
• dropping
• refusing
• declining
• rejecting
• repudiating
• abandoning
• discarding
• giving up
• quitting
• throwing out
• forsaking
• renouncing
• parting (with)
• disdaining
• scorning
• deserting
• abjuring
• erasing
• expunging

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of entertaining

Adjective

That may still be the case in the coming weeks, but the second episode of HBO’s Lanterns makes for a fairly solid (if simple and straightforward) follow-up with some wildly entertaining moments. — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026

Created by bartender Bradleigh Mobley at Bayonet in Birmingham (one of our Best New Restaurants of 2026), the drink calls upon the nostalgia of Nerds candy to create a zippy yet balanced drink that’s undeniably entertaining. — Bradleigh Mobley, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026

Verb

Her dark, expressive eyebrows and the deep timbre of her voice stand in entertaining contrast to the bounding energy of her husband, who is urgently sociable. — Gaby Wood, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026

Erika Gessin is the founder and creative director of The Fête Edit, a modern editorial entertaining brand that creates complete dinner party guides. — Melissa Epifano, The Spruce, 13 Aug. 2026