amuses

verb

present tense third-person singular of amuse
as in entertains
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

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 amuses According to the inner circle, the mythology is something that amuses Vernon more than anything else. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 28 July 2026 And Griffin Hanson amuses in several small roles. — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2026 The thing that amuses me the most? — Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 22 Feb. 2026 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, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amuses
  1. entertains
  2. regales
  3. distracts
Verb
  • Emma Woodhouse entertains herself by meddling in the romantic affairs of her neighbors.
    — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Steel Pier still entertains families, and the wooden walkway remains a tradition for many families.
    — Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of entertains
Verb
  • Trump regularly regales audiences with his prowess as a dealmaker by recounting conversations he's had with Macron about trade irritants, mimicking Macron's responses in an exaggerated accent.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 June 2026
  • Aboard the boat, Terry regales his passengers with tales of the river, from namesake Twain to tragic Lovers' Leap just downstream of Hannibal.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 31 May 2026
Definition of regales
Verb
  • There’s the studio version, which has some really interesting production, with Meg’s shuddering percussion that eventually grates and distracts, and Jack’s very chunky guitar.
    — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Outer Banks’ success has always rested on an emotional depth that distracts from nonsense plot points and over-the-top escapades.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of distracts

Browse Nearby Words

amusements
amuses
amusing
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Cite this Entry

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

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