cheerful

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

Synonyms

• blithe
• blithesome
• bright
• buoyant
• canty [British dialect]
• cheery
• chipper
• eupeptic
• gay
• gladsome
• lightsome
• sunny
• upbeat
• winsome

Examples of cheerful in a Sentence

She has a cheerful outlook on life.

He seems a little more cheerful today.

Recent Examples on the Web

Single Woman Defies Stigmas By Sending Out Solo Holiday Cards By Melissa Fleur Afshar Life and Trends Reporter 0 Holiday cards are a cherished tradition, with cheerful family portraits gracing refrigerators nationwide each December. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 13 Jan. 2025

Pansies bloom for up to six months, coloring the winter garden in a range of cheerful hues. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 11 Jan. 2025

Yellow is the most cheerful color in the spectrum, a hue that compels you to be happier. —Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Jan. 2025

Chantelle has two adult children of her own; her cheerful daughters, Kayla (Ani Nelson) and Aleisha (Sophia Brown), come off as the healthiest people in the movie. —Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see cheer entry 1

First Known Use

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

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