1
as in amuses
to cause (someone) to pass the time agreeably occupied
entertain the kids while I go and prepare dinner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in contemplates
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 has
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of entertains
The question is whether that hardware expands or merely entertains.
—
Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 11 Sep. 2025
By night, Criel entertains guests for intimate dinners — and the occasional artistic performance.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 6 Sep. 2025
No memoir entertains like Hollywood, which is why readers should read Zwick’s, and many more.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
As a riff on the British whodunit, Columbus’ film is simply a cozy, and perhaps an all too simple, affair — nothing more than a jigsaw puzzle that neither challenges nor frustrates, but only passively entertains.
—Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 22 Aug. 2025
Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 11 Sep. 2025
By night, Criel entertains guests for intimate dinners — and the occasional artistic performance.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 6 Sep. 2025
No memoir entertains like Hollywood, which is why readers should read Zwick’s, and many more.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
As a riff on the British whodunit, Columbus’ film is simply a cozy, and perhaps an all too simple, affair — nothing more than a jigsaw puzzle that neither challenges nor frustrates, but only passively entertains.
—Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for entertains
Verb
-
Zoë has been Artemis' right-hand warrior for more than 2,000 years, giving her a more serious nature that amuses modern demigods.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Hoover bounces back with a clean game, while Coach Prime contemplates making a quarterback change.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The couple now keeps the tiny strands safe, even as Jessica contemplates one day turning them into a keepsake.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The expectation was that rates could move more decisively on Friday, when the monthly employment report was set for release, but the government shutdown now has that in limbo.—
Diana Olick,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The second planet from the sun has a completely inhospitable surface, with temperatures reaching 863 degrees Fahrenheit (462 degrees Celsius) and a crushing pressure underneath an oppressively thick atmosphere.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Song broke out with her 2023 drama Past Lives, which follows a woman from Seoul, South Korea, who ponders her relationship with a childhood friend in the decades after her family immigrates to Canada and marries an American man in New York City.—
Tommy McArdle,
PEOPLE,
19 Sep. 2025
-
The research team carefully ponders numerous different inputs for each type of complexity.—
Nathan Goldman,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But Robbie, ever the scrappy guy, already sees through the naïve guise and holds the FBI Task Force agent at gun point.—
Grace Byron,
Vulture,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Excess water can wear down the glue that holds the bristles and handle together.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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As the deadline approaches and ALDOT considers its next move, Shiloh residents say their homes continue to flood.—
Maia Rosenfeld,
ABC News,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Unfortunately for Helsley, his Mets tenure will be on replay in the head of every general manager who even considers giving him an offer.—
Drew VonScio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The 6-in-1 Perfect Pot is constructed with cast aluminum and a non-stick enamel coating that not only evenly distributes and retains heat, but also prevents food from sticking to the bottom.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
6 Oct. 2025
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The 25% share that Van Kaizen retains from billings is put into marketing, invoicing, finance, legal support, and technology.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In a third scene, the group debates what to do.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
23 Sep. 2025
-
The world often debates climate change in the language of science and economics.—
Feleti Penitala Teo,
Time,
22 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Entertains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/entertains. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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