Word
Definition
adj. making you laugh or smile; providing entertainment.
adj. causing laughter or providing entertainment; often implies a lighthearted or mild quality rather than intense hilarity.
Examples
“He told an amusing story about his cat.”
“The host shared several amusing anecdotes that helped the guests feel more relaxed during dinner.”
“While the satire was sharp, the author maintained an amusing tone that prevented the social critique from feeling overly heavy or didactic.”
Examples
simple
“He told an amusing story about his cat.”
contextual
“The host shared several amusing anecdotes that helped the guests feel more relaxed during dinner.”
complex
“While the satire was sharp, the author maintained an amusing tone that prevented the social critique from feeling overly heavy or didactic.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “amusing” in context.
Verb
01. find something amusing
“I didn't find his jokes particularly amusing, but everyone else was laughing.”
verb + noun + adj
02. keep someone amusing
“The host tried his best to keep the guests amusing throughout the evening.”
verb + noun + adj
Adjective
03. amusing anecdote
“She shared an amusing anecdote about her travels in Italy during the dinner party.”
adj + noun
04. amusing incident
“The book is full of amusing incidents that happen to the main character.”
adj + noun
05. highly amusing
“We all found the story of how they first met to be highly amusing.”
adv + adj
06. mildly amusing
“The play was mildly amusing, though it certainly wasn't a masterpiece of comedy.”
adv + adj
Pitfall
I am very amusing by your story.
I am very amused by your story.
Use 'amusing' to describe the thing that is funny, and 'amused' to describe how you feel.
Real-World Examples
“Sedarising, for example, comes across as smug rather than amusing.” “The fact that my favourite bit of the play is wordless, I always find quite amusing.” “Your article ( 21 August ) about concerns raised by Healthwatch Rotherham that an AI telephone receptionist used by GP practices could not understand broad Yorkshire accents was amusing, but with serious undertones.” Etymology
By surface analysis, amuse + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/amusing
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0