Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense amuses, present participle amusing, past tense, past participle amused
1. verb
If something amuses you, it makes you want to laugh or smile.
The thought seemed to amuse him. [VERB noun]
Their antics never fail to amuse. [VERB]
Synonyms: entertain, please, delight, charm More Synonyms of amuse
2. verb
If you amuseyourself, you do something in order to pass the time and not become bored.
I need distractions. I need to amuse myself so I won't keep thinking about things. [VERB pronoun-reflexive]
Put a selection of baby toys in his cot to amuse him if he wakes early. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: occupy, interest, involve, engage More Synonyms of amuse
3. See also amused, amusing
amuse in British English
(əˈmjuːz)
verb(transitive)
1.
to keep pleasantly occupied; entertain; divert
2.
to cause to laugh or smile
Word origin
C15: from Old French amuser to cause to be idle, from muser to muse1
amuse in American English
(əˈmjuz)
verb transitiveWord forms: aˈmused or aˈmusing
1.
to keep pleasantly or enjoyably occupied or interested; entertain
we amused ourselves with games
2.
to make laugh, smile, etc. by being comical or humorous
3. Obsolete
to engage the attention of so as to deceive; delude; bemuse
SYNONYMY NOTE: amuse suggests the agreeable occupation of the mind, esp. by something that appeals tothe sense of humor [the monkey's antics amused him]; to divert is to take the attention from serious thought or worry to something gay or light;, entertain implies planned amusement or diversion, often with some intellectual appeal [another guest entertained us with folk songs]; beguile suggests the occupation of time with an agreeable activity, largely to dispel boredomor tedium
OPPOSITE: bore
Derived forms
amusable (aˈmusable)
adjective
amuser (aˈmuser)
noun
amusedly (aˈmusedly)
adverb
Word origin
Fr amuser < à, at + OFr muser, to stare fixedly, muse
Examples of 'amuse' in a sentence
amuse
We also like to be amused and entertained.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Now please take the big chair and let me do something to amuse my company.
Louisa May Alcott Little Women (1869)
She appears to have been amused by something said by one of the soldiers sitting next to her.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
So how do you keep them amused at a time when most of us are trying to cut costs?
The Sun (2011)
Surely some people won't be amused.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He saw each blank card as a challenge, to amuse and entertain.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Both have entertained, amused and mirrored life and the fantasy of life for millions.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Sara drew her in cautiously, but she looked as if something pleased and amused her.
Frances Hodgson Burnett A Little Princess (1905)
Full of stories and anecdotes that will make your toes curl, it will entertain and amuse you.
The Sun (2013)
I have read the book and was intrigued, entertained and amused.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
For five days I have waited for him to entertain or amuse.
The Sun (2006)
Chances are the Russian tourist board won't be amused.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He chuckled when I reminded him of this recently, but he was not amused at the time.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Quotations
We are not amusedQueen Victoria
In other languages
amuse
British English: amuse /əˈmjuːz/ VERB
If something amuses you, it makes you want to laugh or smile.