he amuses himself

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "he amuses himself" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe someone engaging in activities or actions that provide them with entertainment or enjoyment. Example: "On weekends, he amuses himself by playing video games and reading novels."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

He amuses himself immensely.

The New Yorker

He amuses himself with examples of repression's unintended consequences.

The New York Times - Arts

He's the rare actor who doesn't exclude audiences when he amuses himself.

The New York Times

When he's not playing football, he amuses himself with watching movies, reading the playbook and being involved in charitable activities.

The New York Times - Sports

Stumbling on Faust's trick for summoning Mephistopheles, he amuses himself by bouncing the Devil in and out of the scene as if he were a yo-yo.

The New York Times - Arts

And there he amuses himself with dancers, jugglers, trapeze artists, contortionists, teeterboard acts, clowns, hoop divers and rope skippers, among others, while music that mingles Hindu strains with the sounds of Africa, Spain and Europe beguiles his ear.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

He amused himself by dabbling in the stock market and putting his picks on his answering machine.

The New York Times - Magazine

I believe I'd better count these".Until supper he amused himself by discovering how many needles there were on an average pine tree.

The New York Times

As Erik Wemple of The Washington Post noted, he amused himself by stressing that the lek in Bialek sounds like lick (hence buy-a-lick) and then made lewd slurping noises.

The New York Times

And while he waited for the self-reaping harvest, he amused himself by manipulating and fooling around with those humans.

The Guardian - Books

He amused himself listening to the terror experts on the radio saying the bombing pointed to al-Qaida.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "he amuses himself" when describing someone engaging in activities they find personally enjoyable or diverting, particularly when they are alone or acting independently.

Common error

Avoid using "he amuses him" unless you mean he is entertaining someone else. "Himself" is necessary to indicate the amusement is directed towards himself.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he amuses himself" functions as a verb phrase with a reflexive pronoun, indicating that the subject performs an action (amusing) that directly affects the subject itself. Ludwig confirms this usage is grammatically correct and appropriate.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "he amuses himself" is a grammatically sound and neutrally-toned expression used to describe a person engaging in activities they find enjoyable, particularly in solitude. Ludwig confirms its correctness and provides examples from reliable news and media sources. While alternatives like "he entertains himself" or "he diverts himself" exist, "he amuses himself" specifically emphasizes self-directed entertainment. This phrase is most frequently encountered in news and media contexts and is best used when highlighting the individual's independent pursuit of enjoyment.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he enjoys himself

Emphasizes pleasure and satisfaction derived from an activity or experience.

he entertains himself

Replaces "amuses" with "entertains", focusing on providing enjoyment and diversion.

he diverts himself

Substitutes "amuses" with "diverts", highlighting the act of turning attention away from boredom or worry.

he finds amusement

Shifts the focus to the act of discovering enjoyment, rather than actively creating it.

he occupies himself

Replaces "amuses" with "occupies", emphasizing filling time with an activity.

he indulges himself

Changes the focus to self-indulgence, suggesting a pleasurable activity pursued for personal satisfaction.

he regales himself

Implies entertaining oneself in a lavish or delightful way, often with stories or performances.

he recreates

Shortens the phrase and focuses on the act of recreation for personal enjoyment. The reflexive pronoun is not present anymore.

he beguiles himself

Suggests charming or enchanting oneself, often through deceptive or illusionary means. "Amuses" is replaced by "beguiles".

he whiles away the time

Focuses on passing time pleasantly, often with a light or trivial activity. It's an idiomatic expression.

FAQs

How can I use "he amuses himself" in a sentence?

You can use "he amuses himself" to describe activities someone does for their own enjoyment. For example, "When alone, "he amuses himself" by playing chess or reading.".

What's a more formal alternative to "he amuses himself"?

A more formal alternative would be "he entertains himself", which carries a slightly more refined connotation.

Is it correct to say "he is amusing" instead of "he amuses himself"?

While "he is amusing" means he is funny or entertaining to others, ""he amuses himself"" means he finds his own ways to be entertained.

Which is correct: "he amuses himself" or "he amuses him"?

"He amuses himself" is correct when referring to someone entertaining themselves. "He amuses him" implies he is entertaining another person, which changes the meaning entirely.