# amuse

/əmˈjuz/ (US) · /ɐmjˈuːs/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/amuse
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

to make someone laugh or smile by being funny or interesting.

For teachers: to cause someone to find something funny or entertaining. Often used in the passive voice to describe a person's reaction to a stimulus.

## Examples

- The clown's silly tricks always amuse the children.
- She tried to amuse her younger brother with a deck of cards while they waited for the train.
- The comedian's sharp wit failed to amuse the audience, who had expected a more lighthearted performance rather than a series of cynical observations.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The movie was very amused." but "The movie was very amusing." — Learners often confuse the -ed adjective (describing a feeling) with the -ing adjective (describing the thing that causes the feeling).

## Usage notes

- Transitive verb; typically takes a person or group as a direct object.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.