cheerful
Americanadjective
adjective
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having a happy disposition; in good spirits
-
pleasantly bright; gladdening
a cheerful room
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hearty; ungrudging; enthusiastic
cheerful help
Other Word 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.
In making his cheerful case, Mr. Wigglesworth takes some liberties with hallowed texts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
She also paid tribute to the "heroine of this story" - her mother - who "kept the home warm and cheerful, and encouraged us to get qualified and independent".
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
Yes, “Spa Weekend” is a plate of reheated “Wedding Crashers” nachos, because no one stirs up cheerful chaos like the spirited Fisher.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
The screen looked almost like a cheerful kitchen-table flat-lay: products arranged over a wood-grain background, hovering around a GoPuff bag as though someone had just come home and emptied the evening’s provisions onto the table.
From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026
It took thirty-four days to get a reply, and her message was even less cheerful than the last.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
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.
