Cool MateDelight vs Entertain
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Delight
Top 2,000 (common)B2noun
Entertain
Top 2,000 (common)B1verb
| Delight | Entertain | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/dɪˈlaɪt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/dɪˈlaɪt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˌentəˈteɪn/","/ˌentəˈteɪnz/","/ˌentəˈteɪnd/","/ˌentəˈteɪnɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˌentərˈteɪn/","/ˌentərˈteɪnz/","/ˌentərˈteɪnd/","/ˌentərˈteɪnɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | A feeling of great pleasure and happiness. | To keep someone interested and happy, usually by performing or providing something fun. |
| Example | The children's laughter was a delight to hear. | The magician was able to entertain the audience with his incredible tricks. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | B1 |
| Part of speech | noun | verb |
| Collocations | great, absolute, utter, express, find, take, in delight, with delight, of delight, a cry, gasp, squeal, etc. of delight, much to somebody’s delight, real, constant, unexpected, explore, sample, enjoy, delight to | thoroughly, with, entertain and educate, entertain and enlighten, entertain and inform, lavishly, to, seriously, briefly, be prepared to, be willing to, refuse to |
| Antonyms | displeasure, sorrow, dismay | bore, displease, annoy |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'delighted' — 'delight' is a noun or verb, while 'delighted' is an adjective., Using 'delight' in past tense incorrectly, as in 'I delight last week' instead of 'I delighted'. | Confusing with 'entertainment' — use 'entertain' for actions, 'entertainment' for nouns., Using 'entertain' without an object — it always needs someone to entertain., Mistaking 'entertain' for 'retain' — they have different meanings. |
| Usage notes | Use 'delight' to describe something that brings joy, often in neutral or positive contexts. It's less common in formal writing, where 'pleasure' might be preferred. Avoid using it in negative contexts. | Use 'entertain' when referring to activities that amuse or hold someone's attention, like shows or games. Avoid in very formal contexts. |
Frequently asked questions: Delight vs Entertain
What's the difference between Delight and Entertain?
Delight: A feeling of great pleasure and happiness. Entertain: To keep someone interested and happy, usually by performing or providing something fun.
Are Delight and Entertain the same CEFR level?
Delight: B2, Entertain: B1 on the CEFR scale.
Can I use Delight and Entertain interchangeably?
Not always. Delight and Entertain are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.