entertain
verb
en·ter·tain
ˌen-tər-ˈtān 
ˌin-
entertained; entertaining; entertains
1
: to show hospitality to
entertain guests
2
: to provide entertainment for
3
a
: to keep, hold, or maintain in the mind
I entertain grave doubts about her sincerity.
b
: to receive and take into consideration
refused to entertain our plea
4
: to play against (an opposing team) on one's home field or court
: to provide entertainment especially for guests
entertainer
noun
Examples of entertain in a Sentence
They like to entertain their friends at their summer home.
Much of his job as a salesman involves entertaining clients.
Jugglers were on hand to entertain the crowd.
Our father entertained us with stories.
Our father's stories entertained us.
Recent Examples on the Web
But the Dodgers front office didn’t entertain the notion of bumping him, instead doubling down on their belief that the best thing for Sasaki’s long-term development was continuing to face big-league hitters.
—
Katie Woo, New York Times, 18 May 2026
Past the violin was an oil painting of the child Mozart entertaining nobles at the Maison du Temple.
—Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Don't expect junior colleagues to entertain you.
—Andy Molinsky, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
The kitchen, situated on the main floor, is a particular standout, showcasing a massive island topped with Viola marble and a full suite of Gaggenau and La Cornue appliances, including multiple ovens that will come in handy for entertaining large groups.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for entertain
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.
Katie Woo, New York Times, 18 May 2026
Past the violin was an oil painting of the child Mozart entertaining nobles at the Maison du Temple.
—Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Don't expect junior colleagues to entertain you.
—Andy Molinsky, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
The kitchen, situated on the main floor, is a particular standout, showcasing a massive island topped with Viola marble and a full suite of Gaggenau and La Cornue appliances, including multiple ovens that will come in handy for entertaining large groups.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for entertain
Cite this Entry
“Entertain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entertain. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
entertain
verb
en·ter·tain
ˌent-ər-ˈtān
1
: to receive and provide for as host : have as a guest
entertain friends over the weekend
2
a
: to provide entertainment
b
: to be a source of entertainment for
entertained us with stories
3
: to have in mind : consider
entertained thoughts of quitting
entertainer
noun
ˌen-tər-ˈtā-nər
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
