cheer

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a shout of applause or encouragement
The players were greeted with loud cheers.
b
US : the activity of organized cheerleading
With autumn approaching, evenings at Stringham Pitcher Park are again alive with the sounds of football and cheer.Laura McCusker
2
: lightness of mind and feeling : animation, gaiety
faces full of cheer
3
: state of mind or heart : spirit
… be of good cheerMatthew 9:2 (King James Version)
4
: hospitable entertainment : welcome
5
: food and drink for a feast : fare
… every table was loaded with good cheer.T. B. Macaulay
6
: something that gladdens
words of cheer
7
a
archaic : facial expression
b
obsolete : face

cheer

2 of 2

verb

cheered; cheering; cheers

intransitive verb

1
: to utter a shout of applause or triumph
What is there to cheer about?
2
: to grow or be cheerful : rejoice
usually used with up
Cheer up! Things could be worse.
3
US : to perform as a cheerleader
A gymnast from the age of 3, she switched to cheerleading in middle school. Rink cheered for three years for her middle school and became a cheerleader for Penn.Nikki Taylor
4
obsolete : to be mentally or emotionally disposed

transitive verb

1
a
: to make glad or happy
usually used with up
clowns who cheer up children in hospitals
b
: to instill with hope or courage : comfort
usually used with up
cheer desponding men with new-born hope.William Wordsworth
2
: to urge on or encourage especially by shouts
cheered the team on
3
: to applaud with shouts
The contest winner was cheered as she accepted the trophy.
cheerer noun

Examples of cheer in a Sentence

Noun The audience let out a cheer. Loud cheers were coming from the bleachers. The star was greeted with cheers. Let's spread a little holiday cheer. The cheerleaders did a cheer for the home team. Verb The crowd cheered as he crossed the finish line. We were cheering for you all the way! The crowd cheered him as he crossed the finish line. Their fans cheered them to victory. Supporters cheered the court's decision. Investors were cheered by good economic news.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
And after the hearing, as supporters of the victims filed out of the packed courtroom, a roar of cheers went up in the hall. Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2024 After a couple of swings, the naked woman then has both clubs in her hands, prompting laughs and cheers from spectators. Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 1 Mar. 2024 On the night, and in the room at the Berlinale Palast, the statements were greeted with loud applause and cheers. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2024 Each piece elicited cheers and applause from proud siblings, parents, and friends. Maia Torres, Vogue, 28 Feb. 2024 Fans hold up the four fingers at the start of the fourth quarter, the sound of laughter and cheers ring in the air. C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2024 His comments received a round of applause and cheers from the audience. Jodi Guglielmi, Rolling Stone, 25 Feb. 2024 When Russian prison authorities announced the death of Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putin’s most potent political opponent, the Russian president appeared to be overflowing with cheer. Catherine Belton, Washington Post, 17 Feb. 2024 Roughly 25 members participated, including seven first-time marathon runners, and the group had its own cheer zone near the finish line. Mathew Miranda, Sacramento Bee, 22 Feb. 2024
Verb
From Hollywood to New York and everywhere in between, see what your favorite stars are up to Stars have been everywhere this week, from Travis Kelce cheering from the sidelines in Cleveland to Lindsay Lohan and Ayesha Curry celebrating their new film in New York City. Alexandra Schonfeld, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 Those looking for nostalgia will cheer the return of the fierce snow leopard Tai Lung from the first film, with Ian McShane again providing his elegant baritone. Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024 The crowd at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate cheered louder than normal when television screens flashed Trump's win in the Rocky Mountain state. Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2024 The Gaels gave the overflow crowd at University Credit Union Pavilion a reason to cheer, showing much more aggression and opening the second half with a 10-0 run. Jeff Faraudo, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2024 But alongside the celebratory mood, a poignant moment in the music video comes during a flashback when viewers see Dahyun crying in the dance studio with several members trying to cheer her up. Jeff Benjamin, Billboard, 29 Feb. 2024 Investors also cheered remarks made by Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee on Thursday. Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024 In December, women cheered for Tehran soccer teams in a popular crosstown rivalry, one of only a handful of times that women have attended games in arenas in the past several years. Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Feb. 2024 And there’s something almost cheering in the way the film, in its resolute way, acknowledges that women can be just as violent, cruel and scummy as men. Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cheer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English chere face, cheer, from Anglo-French, face, from Medieval Latin cara, probably from Greek kara head, face — more at cerebral

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 7b

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of cheer was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near cheer

Cite this Entry

“Cheer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cheer. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cheer

1 of 2 noun
1
: state of mind or heart : spirit
be of good cheer
2
: good spirits
full of cheer
3
: something that gladdens
words of cheer
4
: a shout of praise or encouragement
three cheers for our side

cheer

2 of 2 verb
1
: to give hope to or make happier : comfort
cheer up a sick person
2
: to urge on especially with shouts or cheers
cheer the team to victory
3
: to shout with joy, approval, or enthusiasm
the audience cheered loudly
4
: to grow or be cheerful : rejoice
usually used with up
he cheered up at the news

More from Merriam-Webster on cheer

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!