cheerful
Americanadjective
adjective
-
having a happy disposition; in good spirits
-
pleasantly bright; gladdening
a cheerful room
-
hearty; ungrudging; enthusiastic
cheerful help
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of cheerful
First recorded in 1400–50, cheerful is from the late Middle English word cherfull. See cheer, -ful
Explanation
Someone who's cheerful is spirited and happy. Your sister might be so cheerful that you hear her whistling joyfully first thing in the morning. If you're full of good humor and optimism, your friends probably describe you as cheerful. A cheerful bus driver, restaurant server, or calculus teacher can brighten your whole day. Cheerful means "full of cheer," and cheer, which came to mean "good mood or spirit," started out in the 13th century meaning "the face," from the Late Latin cara, "face," and its Greek root, kara, "head."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mario is thus an ideal avatar: Cheerful, active, in perpetual motion and vague enough to represent whatever a gamer wants him to be.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026
Cheerful flute music fills the main square on weekends, when voladores collect tips after flying.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 20, 2023
Cheerful crowds applauded, calling out “Merci” and “Thank you.”
From Washington Times • Jun. 5, 2023
Cheerful crowds packed restaurants and bars in the Sretenka neighborhood on a recent Saturday night, watched by officers marked as “tourist police.”
From Seattle Times • Feb. 18, 2023
Cheerful and outgoing, he was a natural performer who enchanted audiences with his singing and transfixed them with his ballroom dancing.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
