cheerful

adjective

cheer·​ful ˈchir-fəl How to pronounce cheerful (audio)
1
a
: full of good spirits : merry
a cheerful host
b
: ungrudging
cheerful obedience
2
: conducive to cheer : likely to dispel gloom or worry
sunny cheerful room
cheerfully adverb
cheerfulness noun

Examples of cheerful in a Sentence

She has a cheerful outlook on life. He seems a little more cheerful today.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
More Getty Images Just hours earlier, Korda had posted a cheerful story showing four oversized suitcases and her golf travel bag lined up at the airport. Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025 Despite his serious voice, Gamboa highlighted González’s cheerful character. Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2025 This was then turned over to Mount Vernon Nazarene University, giving it a source of revenue (and a cheerful place for visitors to stay). Jack Fowler, National Review, 4 July 2025 For example, cheerful and colorful tattoos were often linked to assumptions of higher agreeableness. Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for cheerful

Word History

Etymology

see cheer entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of cheerful was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Cheerful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cheerful. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

cheerful

adjective
cheer·​ful ˈchi(ə)r-fəl How to pronounce cheerful (audio)
1
a
: full of good spirits
a cheerful outlook
b
: willing sense 3
cheerful obedience
2
: pleasantly bright
a sunny cheerful room
cheerfully adverb
cheerfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on cheerful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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