cheerful

American  

[cheer-fuhl] / ˈtʃɪər fəl /

adjective

1. full of cheer; in good spirits.

   a cheerful person.

   Synonyms:

   jolly, sunny, buoyant, joyous, joyful, happy, blithe, gay, cheery

   Antonyms:

   miserable

2. promoting or inducing cheer; pleasant; bright.

   cheerful surroundings.

3. characterized by or expressive of good spirits or cheerfulness.

   cheerful songs.

4. hearty or ungrudging.

   cheerful giving.

   Synonyms:

   generous

   Antonyms:

   grudging

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cheerful British  

/ ˈtʃɪəfʊl /

adjective

1. having a happy disposition; in good spirits

2. pleasantly bright; gladdening

   a cheerful room

3. hearty; ungrudging; enthusiastic

   cheerful help

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Other Word Forms

• cheerfully adverb
• cheerfulness noun
• quasi-cheerful adjective
• quasi-cheerfully adverb
• uncheerful adjective
• uncheerfully adverb
• uncheerfulness noun

Etymology

Origin of cheerful

First recorded in 1400–50, cheerful is from the late Middle English word cherfull. See cheer, -ful

Example Sentences

“Katherine’s all right and everything, but she’s too . . . cheerful about all of this,” Chip said.

From Literature

Fred was an iguana, spiky as a dragon, with a cheerful snub nose.

From Literature

The star, who shot to fame as a child actor on The Wire in the early 2000s, has plenty to be cheerful about.

From BBC

“Good morning,” said the bus driver, smiling and cheerful.

From Literature

Mom always said the awnings made the camper look cheerful, “like a clump of buttercups, blooming outside our windows.”

From Literature

Related Words

• animated
• bright
• buoyant
• cheery
• chipper
• chirpy
• effervescent
• enthusiastic
• good-natured
• happy
• jaunty
• jolly
• joyful
• lighthearted
• lively
• merry
• optimistic
• peppy
• perky
• pleasant