cheerful
Americanadjective
adjective
-
having a happy disposition; in good spirits
-
pleasantly bright; gladdening
a cheerful room
-
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.
Ranka later appeared on an Instagram live broadcast from a police bus alongside other detainees where they appeared cheerful and said they would not back down.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
Of course, a scripted “My pleasure!” isn’t necessarily more authentic than a cheerful voice generated by a computer.
From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2026
Charlene remembered her nephew as a source of happiness in her home, a cheerful presence who once used his allowance to buy his mother a stuffed unicorn.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
Reviewing the earlier iteration, our critic said the show paints “Moses as more complicated than the cheerful, childlike images her name conjures and as a legitimizer of self-taught art.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
With an open smile, he reached out and tousled the children’s heads till they too were cheerful again.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
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