cheer

[ cheer ]

/ tʃɪər /

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See synonyms for: cheer / cheered / cheering / cheers on Thesaurus.com

noun

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.

interjection

cheers, (used as a salutation or toast.)

verb (used with object)

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.

verb (used without object)

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.

OTHER WORDS FOR cheer

3 solace.

5 joy, mirth, glee, merriment.

9 applaud.

10 exhilarate, animate.

11 inspirit.

See synonyms for cheer on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR cheer

10 discourage, dishearten, depress, dispirit.

See antonyms for cheer on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

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Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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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

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English chere “face,” from Anglo-French; compare Old French chiere, from Late Latin cara “face, head,” from Greek kárā “head”

synonym study for cheer

10. Cheer, gladden, enliven mean to make happy or lively. To cheer is to comfort, to restore hope and cheerfulness to (now often cheer up, when thoroughness, a definite time, or a particular point in the action is referred to): to cheer a sick person; She soon cheered him up. To gladden does not imply a state of sadness to begin with, but suggests bringing pleasure or happiness to someone: to gladden someone's heart with good news. Enliven suggests bringing vivacity and liveliness: to enliven a dull evening, a party.

OTHER WORDS FROM cheer

cheerer, nouncheer·ing·ly, adverbun·cheered, adjectiveun·cheer·ing, adjective

well-cheered, adjective

Words nearby cheer

cheek strap, cheek tooth, Cheektowaga, cheeky, cheep, cheer, cheerer-upper, cheerful, cheerio, cheerlead, cheerleader

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

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|Quartz
The 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|Digiday
District 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 Diego
Roughly 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 Diego

With 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|DAILY BEAST
You meant to chase every glass of wine with a pitcher of H2O, but the holiday cheer somehow steered you off course.
5 Hangover Cures to Save You After a Few Too Many|DailyBurn|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
A 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|DAILY BEAST
It 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|DAILY BEAST
At 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. Dunn
But her sympathy, and her confident belief that Alessandro might yet be found, gave unspeakable cheer to Felipe.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
They 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 Kipling
The king heartily pledged him, thanked him for his good cheer, and departed undiscovered.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;|Various
My 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

cheer

/ (tʃɪə) /

verb

(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

noun

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

Derived forms of cheer

cheerer, nouncheeringly, adverb

Word Origin for cheer

C13 (in the sense: face, welcoming aspect): from Old French chere, from Late Latin cara face, from Greek kara head

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

cheer

In addition to the idioms beginning with cheer

cheer on
cheer up

also see:

three cheers

cheer

OTHER WORDS FOR cheer

OPPOSITES FOR cheer

Idioms about cheer

Origin of cheer

synonym study for cheer

OTHER WORDS FROM cheer

Words nearby cheer

Words related to cheer

How to use cheer in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cheer

Derived forms of cheer

Word Origin for cheer

Other Idioms and Phrases with cheer