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.
Russell Impagliazzo: I'm afraid I am less cheerful about this than the others.
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026
Pearman, a cheerful 73-year-old, holds up a sheet of paper listing 26 cars he sold in August.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 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
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
The good housekeeper tried again to say something cheerful, for she was one of those people who believe too much silence makes a room gloomy.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
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