entertain

noun

(obsolete) Entertainment; pleasure.

(obsolete) Reception of a guest; welcome.

verb

(transitive) to amuse (someone); to engage the attention of agreeably

(transitive and intransitive) To have someone over at one's home, or some other venue, for a party or visit.

(transitive) to receive and take into consideration; to have a thought in mind

(Philippines, Malaysia, India, sometimes in business) to help; to assist; to answer a phone call

(obsolete) to take or keep in one's service; to maintain; to support; to harbour; to keep

(obsolete) to meet or encounter, as an enemy

(obsolete) to lead on; to bring along; to introduce

Roots

teneo-tain · Latin · hold

Synonyms for entertain

amusev disportv regalev titillatev entertainmentn amusementn exhilaratev gratifyv delightn beguilev enjoymentn

Synonyms & related words for entertain

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of entertain — including amuse, disport, regale, titillate, entertainment, amusement. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to entertain

Explore words related to entertain — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include amusable, entertainers, amusedly, enthrall, musicale, excite, tantalization, tantalize. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for entertain

Common synonyms for entertain include amuse, disport, regale, titillate, entertainment, amusement, exhilarate, gratify — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does entertain come from?

The word entertain breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root -tain, from Latin teneo (“hold”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.