Entertaiment is any activity or event that entertains or amuses an audience. It may include elements of amusement, relaxation, diversion, or pleasure, and it is typically associated with leisure activities. The word is also used in evaluative discourses by consumers and critics, such as when describing movies or sports events.
From a historical perspective, the concept of entertainment has shifted across time and media, from its early roots in edutainment, to its current status as an industry and mega-financial empire. However, some familiar forms of entertainment have demonstrated the capacity to transcend emphases, retaining their appeal and relevance through many decades of cross-media creative remix.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online sources to reflect current usage of the word ‘entertainment.’ Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors.