cheerful

adjective

cheer·​ful ˈchir-fəl How to pronounce cheerful (audio)
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 adverb
cheerfulness noun

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 The tote comes in 35 colors and prints, including solid black, light pink, subtle animal prints, cheerful florals, beach-ready tropical patterns, tie-dye, and more. Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 13 Apr. 2024 This cheerful pastel wreath has bright white and delicate pastel pink faux tulips with no filler flowers — just a rich display of flowers and their greens. Alida Nugent, Peoplemag, 2 Apr. 2024 Lizi, a cheerful girl with curly blonde hair, was born a year after the couple married. Constant Méheut Oksana Parafeniuk, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2024 The sextet’s second movement offers an upbeat, cheerful mood, with quick intervals and staccato sections. Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2024 Add tequila and orange liqueur to turn this cheerful, cherry limeade into a cheeky margarita. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 28 Mar. 2024 This along, with the Lucky Charms cereal mascot Lucky, contributed to American culture's conception of green-wearing and cheerful leprechauns with pots of gold, according to National Geographic. Dina Kaur, The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024 Each side is decorated with a retro, geometric arch pattern that comes in four cheerful colors to accent your kitchen: yellow, green, blue, and pink. Lauren Taylor, Southern Living, 28 Mar. 2024 The atmosphere was cheerful and friendly as fans ate, drank and celebrated. Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cheerful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see cheer entry 1

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of cheerful was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near cheerful

Cite this Entry

“Cheerful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cheerful. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

cheerful

adjective
cheer·​ful ˈchi(ə)r-fəl How to pronounce cheerful (audio)
1
a
: full of good spirits
a cheerful outlook
b
: willing sense 3
cheerful obedience
2
: pleasantly bright
a sunny cheerful room
cheerfully adverb
cheerfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on cheerful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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