Entertaiment means the enjoyment of something pleasant. It can include entertainment such as plays and movies, but also activities like sports and reading. Entertaining is fine as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone and it’s not below human dignity. These examples are from the Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved. See related words for more information.

This article is a part of our special report on the state of the arts in America.