cheer

cheer — verb

1. to make a loud cry of support when someone is doing well or needs encouragement,

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to make a loud cry of support when someone is doing well or needs encouragement, such as at a sports match or concert.

Example

The crowd cheered loudly when Aiko scored the winning goal in the final match.

cheer + for achievement

Parents cheered for their children at the school swimming race last Friday.

cheer for + person/group

Common collocations
  • cheer loudly
  • cheer wildly
  • cheer for
  • cheer on
  • cheer a team
Synonyms
  • applaud

    applaud means clapping hands, while cheer means shouting

  • root for

    root for is informal and more common in American English, often over a longer period

  • acclaim

    acclaim is more formal and suggests high praise, not just encouragement

Antonyms
  • boo

    to shout disapproval rather than support

Grammar Patterns

cheer for somebody/something

cheer somebody

cheer + on

Usage Note

This sense works both with and without a direct object. Use 'cheer for + person' when the person is named after the preposition, or 'cheer + person' as a direct object. The phrasal verb 'cheer on' adds the idea of supporting someone through a whole effort, not just one moment.

Common Mistakes

I cheered for the movie when it ended.' (not the right context for a film watched alone)
I cheered for the runner as she crossed the finish line.
'cheer for' is for live events with people performing, not for films or books.
She cheered to her friend at the park.
She cheered for her friend at the park.
'cheer for' is the correct prepositional pattern, not 'cheer to'.

2. to make someone feel happier, less worried, or more hopeful about a difficult si

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to make someone feel happier, less worried, or more hopeful about a difficult situation.

Example

The good news cheered the Watanabe family after weeks of worry about the storm.

passive: be cheered by something

Leila was cheered by the kind messages she received from her classmates.

cheer + direct object = make happier

Common collocations
  • cheered by
  • cheered to hear
  • cheered by the news
Synonyms
  • comfort

    comfort is more about easing sadness, while cheer is about raising spirits

  • reassure

    reassure focuses on removing doubt or fear, while cheer focuses on increasing happiness

  • encourage

    encourage is about giving someone the confidence to act, while cheer lifts their mood

Antonyms
  • depress

    to make someone feel sad or without hope

  • discourage

    to take away someone's confidence or hope

Grammar Patterns

be cheered (by something)

cheer somebody

Usage Note

Frequently used in the passive ('be cheered by'). The subject that causes the cheerfulness is typically good news, kind words, or a welcoming atmosphere. This sense is distinct from verb sense 1 (SHOUT SUPPORT), which involves making noise rather than changing someone's mood.

Common Mistakes

I cheered my friend up after she lost her job' (this mixes sense 2 with the phrasal verb 'cheer up').
My friend was cheered by my offer to help.
sense 2 is about making someone feel better; 'cheer up' is the phrasal verb for this idea.
Phrasal verbs

cheer up

phrasal verb

to become happier or to help someone become happier, especially when they have been sad or worried.

Rohan tried to cheer up his little sister by telling her a funny story.

After three rainy days, the children finally cheered up when the sun came out.

cheer on

phrasal verb

to shout encouragement at someone who is doing something difficult, such as a race or performance, to help them keep trying.

The whole school came out to cheer on the runners at the track meet.

Kofi's mother cheered him on from the side of the pool during his swimming lesson.

cheer — noun

Word family

  • cheerful
    adjectiveB1
  • cheerfully
    adverbB2
  • cheerfulness
    nounB2
  • cheerless
    adjectiveC1
  • cheery
    adjectiveB2
  • cheerily
    adverbC1
  • cheering
    adjectiveB2
  • cheerleader
    nounB2
  • cheerio
    interjectionC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words express support for someone, but they differ in action and formality. To cheer (sense 1) means to shout — it is vocal, energetic, and often spontaneous, such as fans cheering a goal. To applaud means to clap hands, which is quieter and more controlled; you applaud at the end of a concert, but you might cheer during it. Root for is informal and suggests long-term support for a team or person ('I'm rooting for you'), without requiring noise. Acclaim is formal and implies public recognition of excellence, such as critics acclaiming a film. In everyday conversation, 'cheer' and 'root for' are the most common, while 'applaud' and 'acclaim' suit more formal writing. For example: 'The crowd cheered every time she served an ace.' 'Critics acclaimed the novel as a masterpiece.'

cheer ↗applaud ↗root foracclaim ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • give a cheer
  • raise a cheer
  • a cheer goes up

Prepositions

Etymology

Old FrenchLatinGreekEnglish

The word 'cheer' entered English from Old French 'chiere', meaning 'face' or 'expression'. In medieval times, one's 'cheer' referred to the look on their face — a 'good cheer' meant a happy expression. Over the centuries, the meaning shifted from the facial expression itself to the feeling behind it (a cheerful mood), and later to the loud shout that expresses that feeling in a group. The shouting sense emerged in the 1700s as crowds voiced their support at public events.