cheerful

1 of 2

adjective

cheer·​ful ˈchir-fəl 

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

ˈchir-f(ə-)lē 

adverb

cheerfulness

ˈchir-fəl-nəs 

noun

cheerfulness

2 of 2

noun

cheer·​ful·​ness ˈchir-fəl-nəs 

plural -es

: the quality or state of being cheerful

Synonyms of cheerful

Adjective

• bright
• optimistic
• cheery
• sunny
• upbeat
• smiling
• buoyant

Examples of cheerful in a Sentence

Adjective

She has a cheerful outlook on life.

He seems a little more cheerful today.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The town is also locally known for its cheerful embrace of all things Christmas as well. — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Rooms feel traditional, yet never fusty, with cheerful blue and green quilts and rich wood furnishings. — Lila Harron Battis, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2026

Medora sometimes feels like a strange, cheerful dream about America. — Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026

Their blue, pink, and purple flowers are a cheerful and reliable perennial that seems to quickly sprout out of nothing but bare sticks in spring. — Heather Bien, The Spruce, 17 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see cheer entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

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

Rhymes for cheerful

• fearful
• tearful

Kids Definition

cheerful

adjective

cheer·​ful ˈchi(ə)r-fəl 

1

a

: full of good spirits

a cheerful outlook

b

: willing sense 3

cheerful obedience

2

: pleasantly bright

a sunny cheerful room

cheerfully

-f(ə-)lē 

adverb

cheerfulness

-fəl-nəs 

noun