1
as in to brighten
to become glad or hopeful
cheer up—things are bound to get better
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to encourage
to fill with courage or strength of purpose
the general's speech cheered up the troops tremendously
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cheer (up)
Verb
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Her ability to observe and relate her observations and insights with clarity brightened the pages of various publications over many years.—
Lisa Boone,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026 -
With Demna‘s first runway show for Gucci only a few weeks away, sentiment seems to be brightening around prospects for Kering‘s linchpin luxury property, which accounts for 39 percent of group sales.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Your 7th House of Partnership steadies as boundary-setting Saturn arrives, encouraging clear agreements across your closest bonds so your diplomatic style can bring fairness without overgiving.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The evening was more about the vibe; Gelman encourages all guests to dress up in fancy cocktail attire.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While it was made in the ‘90s, the collection (which showed slip dresses, shirts with undulating ruffles, and jacquard silk jackets constructed to look permanently burst-open) was inspired by the romance between Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife Josephine.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
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The work was inspired by cephalopods such as octopuses, which can rapidly alter their skin’s appearance and texture to blend into their surroundings or communicate.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Voters can also look up their sample ballot for either primary on the county elections website.—
Julia James,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Bea Kim looked up to Chloe Kim.—
Alex Connor,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Cheer (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cheer%20%28up%29. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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