Entertainment is an activity designed to give people pleasure or relaxation. An audience may participate in the entertainment passively as in watching opera or a movie, or actively as in games.

Entertainment has been around almost since the beginning of human time, when early humans started painting in caves. The playing of sports and reading of literature are usually included in entertainment, but these are often called recreation, because they involve some active participation beyond mere leisure.

The industry that provides entertainment is called the entertainment industry.