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Definitions

cheerful

[cheer-fuhl] / ˈtʃɪər fəl /
ADJECTIVE
happy
Synonyms
STRONGEST
animated bright buoyant cheery chipper chirpy effervescent enthusiastic good-natured happy jaunty jolly joyful lighthearted lively merry optimistic peppy perky pleasant rosy sanguine sunny upbeat
WEAK
airy blithe bouncy bucked contented enlivening full of pep gay glad gladsome good-humored hearty high hilarious hopeful in good spirits in high spirits jocund roseate snappy sparkling sprightly up vivacious winsome zappy zingy zippy
Antonyms
STRONGEST
apathetic cloudy depressed depressing down dull gloomy heavy-hearted hopeless inactive lethargic lifeless not happy pale pessimistic sad serious sorrowful unenthusiastic unhappy upset
WEAK
cheerless grave heavy melancholy

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

While SK Hynix’s spending is a plus for its suppliers, it might not be so cheerful for rival Micron.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

And it turns out that there was something deeper going on—something that none of the cheerful messages around breastfeeding warned me about.

From Slate • Mar. 15, 2026

I’ve watched cheerful “come with me to get a…DEXA scan!” videos on Instagram, followed by 20-somethings dissecting their results.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

She was described as a cheerful person and a brilliant mum.

From BBC • Jan. 26, 2026

Sophie, his wife, sat beside him, wearing a broad-brimmed hat to shield her cheerful, plump face from the summer sun.

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.