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noun A2 Elementary Common

cheer

cheer

Cheer (noun) means a shout of approval, encouragement, or celebration. Example: “The crowd let out a huge cheer when the home team scored.”

noun
1
A shout of approval, encouragement, or celebration.
"The crowd let out a huge cheer when the home team scored."
"She gave a little cheer when she opened the acceptance letter."
2
A feeling of happiness or good spirits.
"His visit brought some cheer to an otherwise gloomy week."
verb
1
To shout in support or approval of someone.
"Thousands of fans cheered as the runners crossed the finish line."
2
To make someone happier, often with "up".
"A funny video cheered her up after a bad day."

How to Use Cheer

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither a shout of support, or a general sense of happiness — and as a verb, to encourage loudly or lift someone's mood.

Common pairings
cheer someone up cheer for the team words of cheer

Word Forms

cheered past tense, cheers plural, cheers singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The crowd let out a huge _____ when the home team scored.

Etymology

From Old French chiere, meaning "face" or "expression", which came to mean a person's mood and later shifted to mean encouragement and good spirits.

Origin: Old French

Related Words

Rhymes for cheer

See all rhymes for cheer →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “cheer” mean?

The word “cheer” means a shout of approval, encouragement, or celebration. In plain terms, either a shout of support, or a general sense of happiness — and as a verb, to encourage loudly or lift someone's mood.

How do you pronounce “cheer”?

“Cheer” is pronounced cheer (/t͡ʃɪɹ/ in IPA).

How do you use “cheer” in a sentence?

Here is “cheer” used in a sentence: “The crowd let out a huge cheer when the home team scored.”

What is another word for “cheer”?

Words with a similar meaning to “cheer” include acclaim, acclamate, applaud, hail, barrack and beclap.

What is the opposite of “cheer”?

The opposite of “cheer” — its antonyms — are heckle, jeer at and sneer.

What part of speech is “cheer”?

Depending on how it is used, “cheer” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “cheer” come from?

The word “cheer” comes from Old French. From Old French chiere, meaning "face" or "expression", which came to mean a person's mood and later shifted to mean encouragement and good spirits.

Is “cheer” a common word?

“Cheer” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

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