entertaining
adjective
en·ter·tain·ing ˌen-tər-ˈtā-niŋ 
: providing entertainment : diverting
an entertaining book
an entertaining speaker
entertainingly
ˌen-tər-ˈtā-niŋ-lē
adverb 
Synonyms
- amusing
- delightful
- diverting
- enjoyable
- fun
- pleasurable
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
a list of entertaining things to do on a snow day
Recent Examples on the Web Having three television rookies coming straight off the football field could make things entertaining. 
Joe Reedy, ajc, 13 Sep. 2022 Investing in people is also just as entertaining, and can actually be quite heartwarming. Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 8 Sep. 2022 Some smaller dogs can be anti-social, and less comfortable with homes where entertaining is part of everyday life. Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 10 July 2022 The final building on the property, known as the Summer House, is a smaller single-story residence that is meant for outdoor entertaining. Charmaine Patterson, Peoplemag, 1 Sep. 2022 Inspired by dining in the Sicilian countryside, this platter works well for both indoor and outdoor entertaining. Martha Sorren, Woman's Day, 17 Aug. 2022 These four pitcher cocktail recipes are big-batch and ready in less than 15 minutes—perfect for impromptu entertaining! Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Aug. 2022 While this could be really entertaining in the context of a close relationship where both parties are fully in on the joke, choose your audience carefully. Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2022 His page is consistently entertaining but remains slightly mysterious. Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2022 See More
Joe Reedy, ajc, 13 Sep. 2022 Investing in people is also just as entertaining, and can actually be quite heartwarming. Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 8 Sep. 2022 Some smaller dogs can be anti-social, and less comfortable with homes where entertaining is part of everyday life. Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 10 July 2022 The final building on the property, known as the Summer House, is a smaller single-story residence that is meant for outdoor entertaining. Charmaine Patterson, Peoplemag, 1 Sep. 2022 Inspired by dining in the Sicilian countryside, this platter works well for both indoor and outdoor entertaining. Martha Sorren, Woman's Day, 17 Aug. 2022 These four pitcher cocktail recipes are big-batch and ready in less than 15 minutes—perfect for impromptu entertaining! Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Aug. 2022 While this could be really entertaining in the context of a close relationship where both parties are fully in on the joke, choose your audience carefully. Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2022 His page is consistently entertaining but remains slightly mysterious. Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1582, in the meaning defined above
entertaining 1 of 2
adjective
as in amusing
providing amusement or enjoyment a list of entertaining things to do on a snow day Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- amusing
- fun
- enjoyable
- delightful
- exciting
- diverting
- pleasurable
- funny
- pleasant
- nice
- humorous
- satisfying
- hilarious
- recreational
- merry
- welcome
- beguiling
- comical
- thrilling
- happy
- ridiculous
- droll
- agreeable
- comic
- stimulating
- jovial
- riotous
- farcical
- laughable
- ludicrous
- jolly
- sidesplitting
- sunny
- antic
- gleeful
- uproarious
- mirthful
- risible
- jocose
- jocund
- blithesome
- gay
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- boring
- uninteresting
- tedious
- tiresome
- tiring
- dull
- wearisome
- monotonous
- ponderous
- weary
- pedestrian
- drab
- heavy
- humdrum
- stuffy
- flat
- dreary
- stodgy
- unpleasant
- leaden
- disagreeable
- distasteful
- wearying
- unwelcome
- jading
- pleasureless
- unpleasing
- uncongenial
- displeasing
- unlovely
entertaining
2 of 2verb
1
as in regaling
to cause (someone) to pass the time agreeably occupied entertain the kids while I go and prepare dinner Synonyms & Similar Words
- amusing
- regaling
- distracting
- interesting
- engrossing
- delighting
- diverting
- captivating
- pleasing
- enchanting
- charming
- engaging
- occupying
- intriguing
- appeasing
- fascinating
- comforting
- consoling
- enthralling
- solacing
- mesmerizing
- busying
- gratifying
- involving
- hypnotizing
- immersing
- beguiling
- bewitching
- absorbing
- soothing
- pampering
- disporting
- humoring
- spoiling
- gripping
- indulging
- pleasuring
- contenting
- placating
- obliging
- pacifying
- coddling
- conciliating
- propitiating
- mollycoddling
- mollifying
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- boring
- exhausting
- tiring
- enervating
- draining
- exasperating
- wearing
- fatiguing
- wearying
- aggravating
- disturbing
- annoying
- jading
- harassing
- upsetting
- wearing out
- vexing
- bothering
- perturbing
- grating
- pestering
- bugging
- harrying
- galling
- chafing
- nettling
- fretting
- irking
- piquing
- peeving
2
as in debating
to give serious and careful thought to have you ever entertained the thought that you could be wrong? Synonyms & Similar Words
- debating
- pondering
- considering
- studying
- contemplating
- questioning
- exploring
- analyzing
- weighing
- reviewing
- ruminating
- cogitating
- eyeing
- deliberating
- meditating
- revolving
- looking at
- perpending
- chewing over
- digesting
- chewing on
- eying
- reminiscing
- kicking around
- turning
- absorbing
- reasoning
- mulling (over)
- wrestling (with)
- beating one's brains out (about)
- thinking (about or over)
- opining
- believing
- poring (over)
- cudgeling one's brains (about)
- concluding
- assimilating
- reflecting (on or upon)
- conceiving
- musing (upon)
- second-guessing
- fixating (on or upon)
- speculating (about)
- dwelling (on or upon)
- obsessing (about or over)
- brooding (about or over)
- fretting (about or over)
- drinking (in)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ignoring
- disregarding
- overlooking
- dismissing
- slighting
- rejecting
- pooh-poohing
- poohing
3
as in having
to keep in one's mind or heart I don't entertain the hope of ever getting a girl like that to go out with me Synonyms & Similar Words
- having
- holding
- retaining
- keeping
- cherishing
- nurturing
- cultivating
- maintaining
- sustaining
- harboring
- remembering
- nursing
- supporting
- fostering
- carrying
- preserving
- bearing
- hanging on to
- hugging
- holding on to
- treasuring
- sticking (to)
- clinging (to)
- cleaving (to)
- fixating (on or upon)
- obsessing (about or over)
- brooding (about or over)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ignoring
- disregarding
- forgetting
- overlooking
- neglecting
- denying
- dropping
- declining
- rejecting
- refusing
- disdaining
- repudiating
- scorning
- abandoning
- discarding
- throwing out
- forsaking
- abjuring
- quitting
- renouncing
- expunging
- parting (with)
- erasing
- deserting
- giving up
- friction breccia
- friction calender
- friction clamp
- friction clutch
- friction composition
- friction crack
- friction drive
- friction gear
- friction gearing
- friction glazing
- friction head
- friction horsepower
- friction jewel
- friction match
- friction primer
- friction pulley
- friction ridge
- friction saw
- friction sawing
- friction slip
- friction socket
- friction sound
- friction tape
- friction top
- friction wheel