cheer
Americannoun
-
cheers
plural
-
a shout of encouragement, approval, congratulation, etc..
The cheers of the fans filled the stadium.
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a set or traditional form of shout used by spectators to encourage or show enthusiasm for an athletic team, contestant, etc., as rah! rah! rah!
-
something that gives joy or gladness; encouragement; comfort.
words of cheer.
- Synonyms:
- solace
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a state of feeling or spirits.
She entered his room promptly at 7 a.m. with her usual good cheer.
-
gladness, gaiety, or animation.
Festivities will continue all week, with events and attractions spreading holiday cheer across the city.
-
food and drink.
tables laden with cheer.
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Archaic. facial expression.
interjection
verb (used with object)
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cheers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
cheered,
past participle, past
-
cheering
present participle
-
to salute with shouts of approval, congratulation, triumph, etc..
The team members cheered their captain.
- Synonyms:
- applaud
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to gladden or cause joy to; inspire with cheer (often followed byup ).
The good news cheered her.
- Synonyms:
- animate, exhilarate
- Antonyms:
- dispirit, depress, dishearten, discourage
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to encourage or incite.
She cheered him on when he was about to give up.
- Synonyms:
- inspirit
verb (used without object)
-
cheers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
cheered,
past participle, past
-
cheering
present participle
-
to utter cheers of approval, encouragement, triumph, etc.
-
to become happier or more cheerful (often followed byup ).
She cheered up as soon as the sun began to shine.
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Obsolete. to be or feel in a particular state of mind or spirits.
idioms
-
be of good cheer, (used as an exhortation to be cheerful).
Be of good cheer! Things could be much worse.
-
with good cheer, cheerfully; willingly.
She accepted her lot with good cheer.
verb
-
(usually foll by up) to make or become happy or hopeful; comfort or be comforted
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to applaud with shouts
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to encourage (a team, person, etc) with shouts, esp in contests
noun
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a shout or cry of approval, encouragement, etc, often using such words as hurrah! or rah! rah! rah!
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three shouts of hurrah given in unison by a group to honour someone or celebrate something
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happiness; good spirits
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state of mind; spirits (archaic, except in the phrases be of good cheer, with good cheer )
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archaic provisions for a feast; fare
Usage
What does cheer mean? A cheer is a shout or cry of encouragement, approval, or agreement, as in When the band took the stage, the crowd gave a loud cheer. Cheer is also something that gives joy or encouragement, as in a letter that contains good cheer. To cheer is to shout or cry of approval or encouragement, as in The fans cheered the home every time they made a goal. To cheer is also to inspire with cheer, as in Petting my dog always cheers me up when I’m sad. Example: The crowd cheered as the team scored the game winning touchdown.
Synonym Usage
Cheer, gladden, enliven mean to make happy or lively. To cheer is to comfort, to restore hope and cheerfulness to (now often cheer up, when thoroughness, a definite time, or a particular point in the action is referred to): to cheer a sick person; She soon cheered him up. To gladden does not imply a state of sadness to begin with, but suggests bringing pleasure or happiness to someone: to gladden someone's heart with good news. Enliven suggests bringing vivacity and liveliness: to enliven a dull evening, a party.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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cheersimple
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cheerssimple
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have cheeredperfect
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has cheeredperfect
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am cheeringprogressive
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are cheeringprogressive
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is cheeringprogressive
-
have been cheeringperfect progressive
-
has been cheeringperfect progressive
Past
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cheeredsimple
-
had cheeredperfect
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was cheeringprogressive
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were cheeringprogressive
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had been cheeringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of cheer
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English chere “face,” from Anglo-French; compare Old French chiere, from Late Latin cara “face, head,” from Greek kárā “head”
Explanation
A cheer is what you shout at a sporting event when you cheer your team on, showing your enthusiasm and support. Often there's a lot of cheer or good spirits at these games, unless of course your favorite team loses. The word cheer comes from the Old French chiere, meaning "face." When you cheer someone on, you show approval, whether on your face through a smile, or by shouting encouragement. Cheer is also a quality of being sunny or happy. You can cheer someone up by being silly or entertaining. Or, you could raise a glass to them and toast, "Cheers!"
Vocabulary lists containing cheer
Instead of "Said": Words for Upbeat Banter
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Common Five-letter Words for Wordle, List 2
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Beowulf vocabulary
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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.
See Examples For:
A large cloud momentarily covered the sun entirely, but when it cleared ahead of the maximum eclipse a cheer erupted from the crowd.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Lumentum Holdings sees big opportunities in its future, and that’s reason enough for investors to cheer the broader optical-electronics industry on Wednesday.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026
Some leap over flame as friends raise phones and cheer.
From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026
When James Duval, a veteran of six Araki projects, often as the director’s stand-in, arrives on-screen it feels like an applause break for fans to cheer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
The group gave a huge cheer, then dispersed to their jobs.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
Large crowds at viewing sites across the UK and Europe reacted with gasps and cheers, with astronomy enthusiasts saying it served as a reminder of how "amazing" the universe is.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Then the light came back with a flash and to cheers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
Videos on the nonprofit’s website show children stepping out of luxury buses, walking between camp volunteers who welcome them with applause and cheers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
And while Grande later insisted the break was pre-planned and not “reactive or impulsive,” there’s no doubt the announcement was timed to dull the cacophony of both the jeers and cheers.
From Salon ● Aug. 8, 2026
I could hear cheers from his homeroom down the hall.
From "Crash" by Jerry Spinelli
Fans cheered for the return of the Jonas Brothers reprising their original Disney roles in “Camp Rock 3.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
Fans of the opposing Golden State Valkyries cheered Carrington’s return to Chase Center after the outrage over her Aug. 8 flagrant foul against Cunningham.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
The diligent crowd occasionally burst into applause or cheered each other on to keep spirits high.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
CoreWeave’s second-quarter earnings showed that demand for artificial-intelligence infrastructure remains red-hot, as investors cheered an earnings beat that sent the stock up 12% in after-hours trading Tuesday.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
But she cheered up when they reenacted their fight with the shadows.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
This summer suggested something else: people still crave the feeling of watching, cheering and talking about the same thing at the same time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
For example, in “Every Brilliant Thing,” the lone person on stage, played by Daniel Radcliffe, is tasked with cheering up a deeply depressed mom by making a list of things that make life worth living.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
Emily brushed aside the disappointment of finishing fourth to return to claim bronze in the uneven bars, with the iconic image of her sister cheering her from the stands.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
Flavio, touching his arm, declared to a cheering crowd in a Sao Paulo warehouse.
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
The crew explodes in cheering, celebration, and laughter—but it feels hollow as I look at Autumn.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
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.
