# amusement

/əmˈjuzmənt/ (US) · /ɐmjˈuːsmənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/amusement
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. feeling of being entertained

noun · CEFR B1

the feeling you have when you find something funny or interesting.

For teachers: the state or experience of finding something funny, entertaining, or pleasing. Uncountable in this abstract sense.

- She couldn't hide her amusement when the puppy started chasing its own tail.
- To his great amusement, the prestigious professor had accidentally worn two different shoes to the lecture.

Usage: Often follows the preposition 'in' or 'with'.

### 2. an entertaining activity

noun · CEFR B2

something that you do for fun or to pass the time.

For teachers: a specific activity, game, or pastime that provides entertainment. Countable in this sense.

- The small town offered very few amusements for teenagers during the winter.
- The Victorian estate featured various outdoor amusements, including a croquet lawn and a private boating lake.

Usage: Commonly used in the plural form 'amusements'.

### 3. fairground rides

noun · CEFR B1

machines or games at a fair, like a roller coaster, that people pay to use.

For teachers: mechanical devices or games found at fairs or parks designed for public entertainment.

- We spent the whole day at the amusement park trying every roller coaster.
- The seaside pier was packed with traditional amusements, from arcade machines to a vintage carousel.

Usage: Frequently appears in the compound 'amusement park'.

## Examples

- She watched the kittens play with great amusement.
- The park offers various forms of amusement, from roller coasters to live music performances.
- To the professor's quiet amusement, the students spent the entire seminar debating a minor footnote as if it were the central thesis of the book.

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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.