cheerly

adverb

cheer·ly ˈchir-lē

: in a cheerful manner

… lusty, young, and cheerly drawing breath.—

William Shakespeare

Word History

First Known Use

1558, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of cheerly was in 1558

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Browse Nearby Words

cheerless

cheerly

cheer on

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Cheerly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cheerly. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.

Copy Citation

Last Updated: 4 Nov 2025 - Definition revised

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