cheerleader

noun

cheer·​lead·​er ˈchir-ˌlē-dər 

: one that calls for and directs organized cheering (as at a football game)

cheerlead

ˈchir-ˌlēd 

verb, transitive + intransitive

cheerleading

ˈchir-ˌlē-diŋ 

noun

Examples of cheerleader in a Sentence

a politician who is a cheerleader for the government's new economic plan

Recent Examples on the Web

At the end, though, nobody was more on the edge of a seat quite like Dixon’s older sister, Kailey, a senior cheerleader at King. —Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026

Gann will play Avery, a fellow cheerleader and friend of London’s who’s also recruited to join Lee’s crew. —Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 5 Mar. 2026

To be sure, these critics are the minority of the media MAGAsphere, where Fox News' biggest stars remain cheerleaders. —ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026

The disappearance of Sierra, a cheerleader who hung posters of Marilyn Monroe in her bedroom and talked about makeup with her girlfriends, made national news. —Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 1 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cheerleader

• proofreader
• ringleader
• bleeder
• breeder
• feeder
• leader
• lieder
• meader
• pleader
• reader
• reeder
• seeder

Kids Definition

cheerleader

noun

cheer·​lead·​er ˈchi(ə)r-ˌlēd-ər 

: a person who leads organized cheering (as at a football or basketball game)

cheerlead

-ˌlēd 

verb

cheerleading

-ˌlē-diŋ 

noun