amuse

verb

ə-ˈmyüz How to pronounce amuse (audio)
Definition of amusenext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word amuse different from other verbs like it?

The words divert and entertain are common synonyms of amuse. While all three words mean "to pass or cause to pass the time pleasantly," amuse suggests that one's attention is engaged lightly.

amuse yourselves while I make dinner

When might divert be a better fit than amuse?

While in some cases nearly identical to amuse, divert implies distracting attention from worry or routine occupation especially by something funny.

a light comedy to divert the tired businessman

Where would entertain be a reasonable alternative to amuse?

The words entertain and amuse are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, entertain suggests supplying amusement by specially contrived methods.

a magician entertaining children at a party

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of amuse He was amused by the national attention and the assumption that Iran was behind the cyberattack. — Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026 Shraddha relished Kabita’s innocence and was amused by her constant, occasionally nonsensical, chatter. — ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026 Continue reading … HOT AIR – AOC tries to laugh off 'crazy' woke era as thing of the past, but conservatives aren't amused. — FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026 The family of Meredith Kercher — her roommate who was killed in Italy in 2007 — isn’t amused. — Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for amuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amuse
  1. entertain
  2. regale
Verb
  • In the early ‘60s, the Tower Theater’s films entertained Cuban refugees and introduced them to American culture, making the theater a cultural cornerstone for the local Cuban community.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
  • My job is to give people joy and entertain them and take them away from, frankly, at the moment, some of the misery of life, where they can get lost in the live gig for two hours.
    — Katie Bain, Billboard, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of entertain
Verb
  • The two dashing newcomers have since been regaling the Georgia Aquarium’s existing belugas, a quartet of females*, with tales of their peregrinations.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Baker was known to regale locals with the history of their own homes and the founding Monrovians who lived there before them.
    — Dakota Kim, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of regale

Browse Nearby Words

amulets
amuse
amuse-bouche
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Amuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amuse. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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