verb
entertain
ehn-tuh-TAYN
verb
1
To hold someone's attention pleasantly; to amuse.
"The clown entertained the children for hours."
"This novel entertains from the very first page."
2
To host guests, often with food and hospitality.
"They love entertaining friends at their lake house every summer."
3
To consider an idea seriously, especially one that seems unlikely.
"She refused to entertain the possibility of failure."
How to Use Entertain
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo amuse people, host guests, or seriously consider an idea.
Common pairings
entertain guests
entertain the idea
entertain an audience
Word Forms
entertained past tense, entertains singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “entertain”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The clown _____ the children for hours.
Etymology
From Old French entretenir, from entre ("among") + tenir ("to hold"), originally meaning to maintain or keep someone engaged.