cheery

American  

[cheer-ee] / ˈtʃɪər i /

adjective

cheerier, cheeriest

1. in good spirits; cheerful; happy.

2. promoting cheer; enlivening.

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cheery British  

/ ˈtʃɪərɪ /

adjective

1. showing or inspiring cheerfulness

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Other Word Forms

• cheerily adverb
• cheeriness noun
• uncheerily adverb
• uncheeriness noun
• uncheery adjective

Etymology

Origin of cheery

First recorded in 1840–50; cheer + -y ¹

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

Patricia Eddings, an expert in trace evidence, is short, with fiery red hair and a cheery Mississippi drawl.

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

Cameron Crowe, a cheery Black bowler, is the newer kid, good enough to play in this company, but with no PBA titles to his name.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 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

She has created large canvases, embellished formal gloves and a gown, and—most shockingly—a decorated taxidermied goat covered in a menagerie of stitched animals, including a mischievous red-winged blackbird and a cheery possum.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 3, 2025

I thank him again and wave a cheery goodbye to Chloe.

From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen

Related Words

• bright
• lively
• pleasant