cheery
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of cheery
Explanation
Something that's cheery makes you feel happy. A cheery summer day is sunny and bright. It's always fun to spend time with a cheery friend, one who is positive and happy, or to participate in some cheery activity, like watching a funny movie or having a picnic. Cheery things do exactly what they sound like — they cheer you up. You can also use cheerful to mean the same thing, and both words are rooted in cheer, from the Anglo-French chere, "the face," with 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.
Long after Massie left the stage, the mood around the hotel where his election night party was held stayed cheery.
From Slate • May 20, 2026
Wall Street didn’t agree with that cheery assessment.
From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026
The cheery yellow creatures are a signature of Universal and Illumination’s “Despicable Me” film franchise.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 3, 2026
Some have been quick to bash the app's less than cheery name - saying that signing up for it might bring ill fortune.
From BBC • Jan. 12, 2026
When Isa did that falsely cheery voice thing, it meant she was worried.
From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser
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.
