infotainment
noun
Did you know?
Infotainment, a blend of "information" and "entertainment," first appeared in the early 1980s. Not everyone approves of "infotainment" and similar pieced-together, media-derived words (e.g., "infomercial" and "edutainment"), however. New York Times Magazine writer Joe Morgenstern referred to "infotainment" as "a plastic word, stuck together with show-biz epoxy." An editorialist for a New England newspaper called it "a nauseating word" that "has crept into the language without an invitation." Unfortunately for such detractors, the word continues to be used today. Not only that, but a new, distinct sense of the word is emerging. People in the automotive industry have recently begun using "infotainment" to refer to the state-of-the-art multimedia technologies (such as GPS systems and Internet radio) now available to drivers at the push of a button.
Examples of infotainment in a Sentence
Kristin Shaw, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
The electrical connections for the infotainment system may not be properly secured, which can cause the rearview camera image not to display, according to the NHTSA.
—James Powel, USA Today, 21 July 2025
Developed with the help of a Canadian Tesla driver, his tracker is simple and easy to use: during a trip, FSD beta testers like Martinez catalog in real time problems that arise directly into the vehicle’s onboard infotainment system, where it’s stored until it can be uploaded to the internet.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 20 July 2025
Technology in the new Uncharted includes a 14-inch touchscreen for infotainment with wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto.
—New Atlas, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for infotainment
Cite this Entry
“Infotainment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infotainment. Accessed 31 Jul. 2025.
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