amusing

American

[uh-myoo-zing] / əˈmyu zɪŋ /

adjective

pleasantly entertaining or diverting.

an amusing speaker.

Synonyms:

lively, engaging, pleasing, charming
causing laughter or mirth; humorously entertaining.

an amusing joke.

Synonyms:

funny, humorous, laughable

amusing British

/ əˈmjuːzɪŋ /

adjective

mildly entertaining; pleasantly diverting; causing a smile or laugh

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

Amusing, comical, droll describe that which causes mirth. That which is amusing is quietly humorous or funny in a gentle, good-humored way: The baby's attempts to talk were amusing. That which is comical causes laughter by being incongruous, witty, or ludicrous: His huge shoes made the clown look comical. Droll adds to comical the idea of strange or peculiar, and sometimes that of sly or waggish humor: the droll antics of a kitten; a droll imitation.

Other Word Forms

amusingly adverb
amusingness noun
quasi-amusing adjective
quasi-amusingly adverb
unamusing adjective
unamusingly adverb
unamusingness noun

Etymology

Origin of amusing

First recorded in 1590–1600; amuse + -ing ²

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023