amusement

noun

amuse·​ment ə-ˈmyüz-mənt 

1

: a means of amusing or entertaining

what are her favorite amusements

2

: the condition of being amused

could not hide his amusement

3

: pleasurable diversion : entertainment

plays the piano for amusement

Synonyms

• distraction
• diversion
• entertainment
• recreation

Examples of amusement in a Sentence

I'm reading this novel for amusement.

Several games were provided for the education and amusement of the children.

Recent Examples on the Web

To date, the lighthearted pencils have been upvoted more than 34,000 times, with over 200 Reddit users taking to the comments section to share their amusement at them. —Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025

Paradise Pier Fun Park Biloxi, Mississippi Neighboring the Margaritaville resort, this newer addition to the Mississippi coastline is sure to inspire hours of old-fashioned amusement. —Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 7 June 2025

Conan O’Brien: master of the Oscars, Mark Twain Prize honoree, and now a CGI toy who will either become friends with Woody and Buzz or terrorize them in a new era of children’s amusement. —Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 20 May 2025

This Jewish immigrant is a source of amusement to the shady local police, but also a reminder of the way that survivors bear witness — whereas corpses dumped at sea take their secrets with them to the bottom of the ocean. —Peter Debruge, Variety, 18 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Phrases Containing amusement

• amusement arcade
• amusement park
• to one's amusement

Kids Definition

amusement

noun

amuse·​ment ə-ˈmyüz-mənt 

1

: something that amuses

2

: the condition of being amused