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
The cheers for Downey, who won the award for best supporting actor, were robust in the Dolby Theater on Sunday. Lisa Respers France, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024 The crowd - a sellout - erupted in cheers and applause. Stephanie Gallman Jordan, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2024 Naturally, the Allen Fieldhouse crowd rewarded him with the loudest cheer he’s received all season. Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2024 The ruling drew cheers from antiabortion groups and fierce pushback because of IVF’s wide popularity. Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 He is asked if this could be the most difficult of his nine seasons, and answers as if leading a cheer. Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024 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
Verb
Meanwhile, Walt’s friends and family (played by Langston Kerman and Jay Ellis) cheer him on. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Mar. 2024 Where else do total strangers gather to cheer and applaud each other for doing things badly? Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2024 These funny social media reactions will cheer you up. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2024 But by and large, the folks at the Academy will be cheering a night that moved at a decent clip, ended at a reasonable hour, and featured plenty of recognizable winners while managing to spotlight some of the most beloved losers. David Sims, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2024 At the ballet’s headquarters, though, the news of Brant’s appointment was cheered. David Lyman, The Enquirer, 11 Mar. 2024 Paltrow, 51, who is an Oscar winner herself, shared a video to her Instagram Stories, while watching a live stream of the Oscars, and cheered when Downey Jr. was announced as the winner. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 Investors cheered Powell’s signal, helping push the S&P 500 index to close at a record high Thursday. Krystal Hur, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024 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

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 28 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

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