infotainment
noun
Did you know?
Infotainment, a blend of "information" and "entertainment," first appeared in the early 1980s. Not everyone approves of "infotainment" and similar pieced-together, media-derived words (e.g., "infomercial" and "edutainment"), however. New York Times Magazine writer Joe Morgenstern referred to "infotainment" as "a plastic word, stuck together with show-biz epoxy." An editorialist for a New England newspaper called it "a nauseating word" that "has crept into the language without an invitation." Unfortunately for such detractors, the word continues to be used today. Not only that, but a new, distinct sense of the word is emerging. People in the automotive industry have recently begun using "infotainment" to refer to the state-of-the-art multimedia technologies (such as GPS systems and Internet radio) now available to drivers at the push of a button.
Examples of infotainment in a Sentence
Andrea Guzmán, Austin American Statesman, 7 Feb. 2026
On the interior, the 2026 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle PHEV boasts tons of storage space and comfort for people moving, to say nothing of its great infotainment system: the UConnect 5 with navigation and a 10.1-inch touch-screen display.
—Marc D Grasso, Hartford Courant, 31 Jan. 2026
On paper the challenge was simple: leave the city, navigate across the desert using a pre-loaded route on the car’s infotainment system, and reach a remote camp in time for sundowners.
—Fergus Scholes, TheWeek, 30 Jan. 2026
Same for the infotainment generally, or volume control or radio selections.
—Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for infotainment
Cite this Entry
“Infotainment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infotainment. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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