cheer
a shout of encouragement, approval, congratulation, etc.: The cheers of the fans filled the stadium.
a set or traditional form of shout used by spectators to encourage or show enthusiasm for an athletic team, contestant, etc., as rah! rah! rah!
something that gives joy or gladness; encouragement; comfort: words of cheer.
a state of feeling or spirits: She entered his room promptly at 7 a.m. with her usual good cheer.
gladness, gaiety, or animation: Festivities will continue all week, with events and attractions spreading holiday cheer across the city.
food and drink: tables laden with cheer.
Archaic. facial expression.
cheers, (used as a salutation or toast.)
to salute with shouts of approval, congratulation, triumph, etc.: The team members cheered their captain.
to gladden or cause joy to; inspire with cheer (often followed by up): The good news cheered her.
to encourage or incite: She cheered him on when he was about to give up.
to utter cheers of approval, encouragement, triumph, etc.
to become happier or more cheerful (often followed by up): She cheered up as soon as the sun began to shine.
Obsolete. to be or feel in a particular state of mind or spirits.
Idioms about cheer
be of good cheer, (used as an exhortation to be cheerful): Be of good cheer! Things could be much worse.
with good cheer, cheerfully; willingly: She accepted her lot with good cheer.
Origin of cheer
1synonym study For cheer
Other words for cheer
Opposites for cheer
Other words from cheer
- cheerer, noun
- cheer·ing·ly, adverb
- un·cheered, adjective
- un·cheer·ing, adjective
- well-cheered, adjective
Words Nearby cheer
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use cheer in a sentence
Jenner strides up to a police officer and offers him a can of soda, which he drinks, prompting the crowd to break out in cheers.
If everybody hates wokewashing, why do companies still do it? | Sarah Todd | October 22, 2020 | QuartzThe experience will include both a cheer monitor and an audience monitor that allow viewers to connect with each other and the broadcast hosts.
‘An election night that could last weeks’: How news publishers are updating their digital strategies for the results long haul | Kayleigh Barber | September 25, 2020 | DigidayDistrict officials have maintained that any ongoing practices were not part of the school’s cheer program.
Morning Report: The School Sports Conundrum | Voice of San Diego | September 18, 2020 | Voice of San DiegoRoughly 65 students are on the school’s cheer team, including 27 on varsity, Clark said.
School Sports Became ‘Clubs’ Amid the Pandemic – Now Two Coaches Are Out | Ashly McGlone | September 17, 2020 | Voice of San DiegoWith the new school year underway, the cheer club met at Infinity Gymnastics in El Cajon this week and was scheduled to meet for the next two weeks.
School Sports Became ‘Clubs’ Amid the Pandemic – Now Two Coaches Are Out | Ashly McGlone | September 17, 2020 | Voice of San Diego
Yet I had serious trouble understanding how to cheer on the news of Bin Laden or anyone else dying.
The Life and Hard Times Of The Family A Cuban Defector Left Behind | Brin-Jonathan Butler | December 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTYou meant to chase every glass of wine with a pitcher of H2O, but the holiday cheer somehow steered you off course.
The audience--tout Hollywood--stands to cheer his slow and painful trek from the wings to the table.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days | David Freeman | December 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTA fire truck roars down a city street and people cheer its arrival.
The Wildly Peaceful, Human, Almost Boring, Ultimately Great New York City Protests for Eric Garner | Mike Barnicle | December 8, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIt was a cheer that we got for something that was a complete fluke.
‘No Regrets’: Peter Jackson Says Goodbye to Middle-Earth | Alex Suskind | December 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAt last, tired of fighting an unseen foe, the men arose to their feet, and with a wild cheer sprang forward.
The Courier of the Ozarks | Byron A. DunnBut her sympathy, and her confident belief that Alessandro might yet be found, gave unspeakable cheer to Felipe.
Ramona | Helen Hunt JacksonThey went out of the darkness together and came back to the Earth, Leo very silent, and the Girl striving to cheer him.
Kipling Stories and Poems Every Child Should Know, Book II | Rudyard KiplingThe king heartily pledged him, thanked him for his good cheer, and departed undiscovered.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun; | VariousMy servant's whip, however, soon sent them about their business, and I ventured into the parlor to see what cheer.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun; | Various
British Dictionary definitions for cheer
/ (tʃɪə) /
(usually foll by up) to make or become happy or hopeful; comfort or be comforted
to applaud with shouts
(when tr, sometimes foll by on) to encourage (a team, person, etc) with shouts, esp in contests
a shout or cry of approval, encouragement, etc, often using such words as hurrah! or rah! rah! rah!
three cheers three shouts of hurrah given in unison by a group to honour someone or celebrate something
happiness; good spirits
state of mind; spirits (archaic, except in the phrases be of good cheer, with good cheer)
archaic provisions for a feast; fare
Origin of cheer
1- See also cheers
Derived forms of cheer
- cheerer, noun
- cheeringly, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with cheer
In addition to the idioms beginning with cheer
- cheer on
- cheer up
also see:
- three cheers
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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