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cheerful

adjective

ˈchir-fəl How to pronounce cheerful (audio)
Definition of cheerfulnext
1
as in bright
having or showing a good mood or disposition a cheerful person who is always fun to work with and a pleasure to be around

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cheery
serving to lift one's spirits a hospital with sunny, cheerful rooms that are designed to make a patient's stay as pleasant as possible

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cheerful Beyond Ningyocho station, cheap and cheerful izakaya sit next to longstanding kaiseki and sushi restaurants in heritage buildings, remnants of the era when this was Yoshicho, one of Tokyo's geisha quarters. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026 The fragrance is a delicious mix of sweet, fruity, and floral, thanks to notes of citrus, agave, and jasmine, offering a bright and cheerful scent to your space. — Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 26 Aug. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for cheerful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cheerful
  1. bright
  2. cheery
  3. optimistic
  4. sunny
  5. upbeat
  6. smiling
  7. buoyant
Adjective
  • De Zerbi will take encouragement from Savio’s bright debut, with the £85million recruit from Manchester City looking bright and threatening, without executing on the final action.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The Casita looks good enough to sit on a desk and those super bright RGB LED’s really glow.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of bright
Adjective
  • As the attractive secretary, she is forced to fend off not only Hart’s advances (with the cheery but firm dexterity of a woman with no alternative and many years of practice) but also the chilly scorn of her female colleagues.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • From the 3-by-3 level select screen to the cheery, synth soundtrack, this Mega Man game looks and sounds just like a Mega Man game.
    — Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of cheery
Adjective
  • After a late October rain last year, the fourth-generation farmer was optimistic about his 1,800 acres (728 hectares) of winter wheat.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The two then give their thoughts on the Hurricanes overall entering the season, with both optimistic about what could come for UM in 2026.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of optimistic
Adjective
  • The day of the meetup itself was beautiful — sunny and in the low-’70s.
    — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026
  • If starting seeds indoors, use seed starting mix and place the seeds by a sunny window or use grow lights.
    — Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of sunny
Adjective
  • The fare is healthy, the ingredients mostly organic, many locally grown and the lines are long, the vibe upbeat.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 6 Sep. 2026
  • As the curtain closes on an upbeat summer box office, the team behind The Invite has reason to cheer.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of upbeat
Adjective
  • Women in black hijabs and abayas, many wearing badges depicting Zahra’s smiling face, lined the streets as men prayed over her casket, placed outside the Husseiniya, a Shiite hall.
    — Rania Abouzeid, New Yorker, 21 May 2026
  • As Thomas’ parents, Katina Smith and Bobby Thomas, unveiled their son’s smiling statue in the Broncos’ Ring of Fame Plaza last Sunday, as scores of his former teammates looked on in sadness and joy, Miller was 800 miles away in Dallas, gearing up for a game against the Cowboys.
    — Luca Evans, Denver Post, 24 Oct. 2025
Definition of smiling
Adjective
  • Toward the end of the show, a female model came trundling down the runway, adorned in one of the collection’s more elegant coats crafted from a buoyant faux fur.
    — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The class of buoyant new distributors who arrived at TIFF two years ago with fresh cash and big talk has thinned out considerably.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of buoyant

Browse Nearby Words

cheered (up)
cheerful
cheerfully
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Cite this Entry

“Cheerful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cheerful. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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