cheer
Americannoun
-
cheers
plural
-
a shout of encouragement, approval, congratulation, etc..
The cheers of the fans filled the stadium.
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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!
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something that gives joy or gladness; encouragement; comfort.
words of cheer.
- Synonyms:
- solace
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a state of feeling or spirits.
She entered his room promptly at 7 a.m. with her usual good cheer.
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gladness, gaiety, or animation.
Festivities will continue all week, with events and attractions spreading holiday cheer across the city.
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food and drink.
tables laden with cheer.
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Archaic. facial expression.
interjection
verb (used with object)
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cheers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
cheered,
past participle, past
-
cheering
present participle
-
to salute with shouts of approval, congratulation, triumph, etc..
The team members cheered their captain.
- Synonyms:
- applaud
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to gladden or cause joy to; inspire with cheer (often followed byup ).
The good news cheered her.
- Synonyms:
- animate, exhilarate
- Antonyms:
- dispirit, depress, dishearten, discourage
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to encourage or incite.
She cheered him on when he was about to give up.
- Synonyms:
- inspirit
verb (used without object)
-
cheers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
cheered,
past participle, past
-
cheering
present participle
-
to utter cheers of approval, encouragement, triumph, etc.
-
to become happier or more cheerful (often followed byup ).
She cheered up as soon as the sun began to shine.
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Obsolete. to be or feel in a particular state of mind or spirits.
idioms
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be of good cheer, (used as an exhortation to be cheerful).
Be of good cheer! Things could be much worse.
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with good cheer, cheerfully; willingly.
She accepted her lot with good cheer.
verb
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(usually foll by up) to make or become happy or hopeful; comfort or be comforted
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to applaud with shouts
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to encourage (a team, person, etc) with shouts, esp in contests
noun
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a shout or cry of approval, encouragement, etc, often using such words as hurrah! or rah! rah! rah!
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three shouts of hurrah given in unison by a group to honour someone or celebrate something
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happiness; good spirits
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state of mind; spirits (archaic, except in the phrases be of good cheer, with good cheer )
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archaic provisions for a feast; fare
Usage
What does cheer mean? A cheer is a shout or cry of encouragement, approval, or agreement, as in When the band took the stage, the crowd gave a loud cheer. Cheer is also something that gives joy or encouragement, as in a letter that contains good cheer. To cheer is to shout or cry of approval or encouragement, as in The fans cheered the home every time they made a goal. To cheer is also to inspire with cheer, as in Petting my dog always cheers me up when I’m sad. Example: The crowd cheered as the team scored the game winning touchdown.
Synonym Usage
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 Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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cheersimple
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cheerssimple
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have cheeredperfect
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has cheeredperfect
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am cheeringprogressive
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are cheeringprogressive
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is cheeringprogressive
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have been cheeringperfect progressive
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has been cheeringperfect progressive
Past
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cheeredsimple
-
had cheeredperfect
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was cheeringprogressive
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were cheeringprogressive
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had been cheeringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
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”
Explanation
A cheer is what you shout at a sporting event when you cheer your team on, showing your enthusiasm and support. Often there's a lot of cheer or good spirits at these games, unless of course your favorite team loses. The word cheer comes from the Old French chiere, meaning "face." When you cheer someone on, you show approval, whether on your face through a smile, or by shouting encouragement. Cheer is also a quality of being sunny or happy. You can cheer someone up by being silly or entertaining. Or, you could raise a glass to them and toast, "Cheers!"
Vocabulary lists containing cheer
Instead of "Said": Words for Upbeat Banter
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Common Five-letter Words for Wordle, List 2
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Beowulf vocabulary
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Melvyn Moyes, who was in the city centre with his brother Ken to cheer on the team, described the atmosphere as "buzzing".
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
The holidays are not necessarily a time of goodwill and cheer if you are working in retail.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
In the Facebook and Telegram channels, believers share their stories of physical suffering and cheer each other on.
From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026
We cheer when anyone unjustly imprisoned breathes free air again.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
He watched the audience rise to its feet in enthusiasm and cheer.
From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson
As he stepped toward the seated council, the former Minnesota Viking was arrested by police and carried away, to cheers from supporters.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
After giving flowers to the cast and thanking the audience for showing up, Glyman delivered a line that earned him ample cheers far beyond the rows of yellow-lanyard–sporting Ramp employees seated near me.
From Slate ● Oct. 1, 2026
To cheers in the hall, Burnham announced a national commission on electoral reform, which could result in changes to the current voting system for UK parliamentary elections.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
But the cheers died down as it fell well short of the 395-foot wall.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026
I get so wrapped up in the moment that I holler, “Three cheers for student government!”
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
I have cheered for them in almost all of their games, even after they made me cry by moving to St. Louis.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026
The Hindenburg lifted off shortly after 7 p.m., saluted by a brass band playing “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” and cheered by a large crowd, including a Hitler Youth troop.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Admirers cheered that the court had at last vindicated Andrew Johnson.
From Slate ● Sep. 16, 2026
Supporters cheered outside a Los Angeles courthouse after the verdict, which came following three days of jury deliberations.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
White House advisers cheered in their cars on their way to work.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
Tens of thousands of runners fill the streets with spectators cheering them on in each of the city’s boroughs during the annual New York City Marathon, taking place on Nov. 1.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
She has become wildly popular in the Philippines, her every match followed by large numbers of cheering fans.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
"I'm excited to keep uplifting my friends and cheering them on as they reach for the Moon. Together, we'll keep pushing boundaries and inspiring the next giant leap."
From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026
Lucas’ comments came after his friend and co-host Queen Latifah noted to the cheering crowd that, “Paris has the Louvre, New York has the Met and now L.A. has the artistic equal.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2026
Even when the Stirling Wildcats were up by twelve with two minutes left, Felix’s cheering section still yelled and clapped for every basket.
From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty
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.
