Synonyms and Antonyms of entertain
1
to cause (someone) to pass the time agreeably occupied
- entertain the kids while I go and prepare dinner
absorb, busy, distract, engage, engross, immerse, interest, involve, occupy
beguile, bewitch, captivate, charm, delight, enchant, enthrall (or enthral), fascinate
grip, hypnotize, intrigue, mesmerize
coddle, gratify, humor, indulge, mollycoddle, pamper, please, pleasure, spoil
appease, comfort, conciliate, console, content, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, propitiate, soothe
bore, jade
drain, enervate, exhaust, fatigue, tire, wear, wear out, weary
aggravate, annoy, bother, bug, chafe, disturb, exasperate, fret, gall, grate, harass, harry, irk, nettle, peeve, perturb, pester, pique, upset, vex
2
to give serious and careful thought to
- have you ever entertained the thought that you could be wrong?
chew over, cogitate, consider, contemplate, debate, deliberate, eye, kick around, meditate, mull (over), perpend, ponder, pore (over), question, revolve, ruminate, study, think (about or over), turn, weigh, wrestle (with)
muse (upon), reflect (on or upon), reminisce
analyze, explore, review
conclude, reason
second-guess, speculate (about)
brood (about or over), dwell (on or upon), fixate (on or upon), fret (about or over), obsess (about or over)
believe, conceive, opine
absorb, assimilate, digest, drink (in)
3
to keep in one's mind or heart
- I don't entertain the hope of ever getting a girl like that to go out with me
cultivate, foster, nurture, support, sustain
carry, keep, maintain, preserve, remember, retain, treasure
cleave (to), cling (to), hug, stick (to)
brood (about or over), fixate (on or upon), obsess (about or over)
