Word.ws English Dictionary

Synonyms of cheer

120 similar words · 10 opposite words

Another word for cheer is applause. Other synonyms of cheer are plaudit, clap, clapping, acclaim and acclamation. The opposite of cheer is boo.

Synonyms and similar words for cheer

nounA cry expressing joy, approval or support, such as "hurrah".

verbTo gladden; to make cheerful; often with up.

  • cheer upTo make someone happier or less downcast.
  • upcheerTo cheer up.
  • beatifyTo make blissful.
  • enraptureTo fill with great delight or joy; to fascinate or captivate.
  • begladdenTo gladden about or all over; make glad; overjoy.
  • blissenTo make blissful or happy; fill with or impart bliss to.
  • brightOften followed by up: to cause (someone or something) to be bright (in various senses); to brighten; specifically, to...
  • fetch
  • contentTo give contentment or satisfaction to; to satisfy; to make happy.
  • delightTo give delight to; to affect with great pleasure; to please highly.
  • elateTo make joyful or proud.
  • enblissTo endue or fill with bliss; impart bliss to; make happy.
  • exhilarateTo cheer, to cheer up, to gladden, to make happy, to elate.
  • gladdenTo cause (something) to become more glad.
  • gratifyTo please.
  • happifyTo make happy.
  • happyOften followed by up: to make happy; to brighten, to cheer, to enliven.
  • heartenTo give heart to; to encourage, urge on, cheer, give confidence to.
  • jollifyTo make jolly.
  • light upTo make happy.
  • make someone's dayTo make someone happy, or be a source of satisfaction, for the rest of the day.
  • perk upTo cause to be more lively or enthusiastic.
  • pleaseTo make happy or satisfy; to give pleasure to.
  • raise someone's spiritsTo make someone feel in a better mood.
  • rejoiceTo make happy, exhilarate.
  • turn the frown upside downTo become or make somebody else happy after being sad.
  • warm someone's heartMake glad.
  • warm the cockles of someone's heartTo provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness.
  • cherish obsoleteTo cheer, to gladden.
  • elevate obsoleteTo lift the spirits of (someone).
  • fain obsoleteTo make (someone) glad; to gladden; hence, to congratulate (someone); to welcome (someone).
  • gay dated
  • gladden someone's heart datedSynonym of warm someone's heart.
  • laetificate rareTo make, or become, happy.

verbTo infuse life, courage, animation, or hope, into; to inspirit; to solace or comfort.

  • comfort
  • solaceTo give solace to; comfort; cheer; console.
  • besootheTo soothe about or all over; comfort.
  • consoleTo comfort (someone) in a time of grief, disappointment, etc.
  • sootheTo ease or relieve pain or suffering.
  • animateTo give spirit or vigour to; to stimulate or enliven; to inspirit.
  • arouseTo stimulate or induce (feelings); pique.
  • awaken figurativelyTo bring into action (something previously dormant); to stimulate.
  • beghastTo fill with shock, awe, wonder, or amazement; inspire; enthuse.
  • leaven
  • brighten figuratively
  • energize
  • enliven
  • enthuse
  • exalt
  • exciteTo arouse or bring out (e.g. feelings); to stimulate.
  • fire upTo excite; to infuse with energy.
  • ginger
  • ginger upTo make something more interesting, fun, lively, etc.
  • inflame figurativelyTo excite or intensify (a feeling, such as an appetite or passion), especially to an excessive or unnatural level.
  • invigorate
  • inspire
  • inspirit
  • jazz
  • kindle figurativelyTo arouse or inspire (a passion, etc).
  • livenTo cause to be more lively, or to become more lively.
  • liven upTo improve a person's mood by making them more energetic.
  • quickenTo put (someone or something) in a state of activity or vigour comparable to life; to excite, to rouse.
  • spice
  • spice up
  • stimulateTo encourage into action.
  • vitaliseTo make more vigorous; to invigorate or stimulate.

verbTo encourage to do something.

  • goadTo incite or provoke.
  • stir upTo arouse or excite (passion or action, etc.).
  • actuateTo incite to action; to motivate.
  • goose
  • fuel
  • light a fire underTo motivate or encourage (someone) to start sooner or move faster.
  • send
  • sting
  • bring aboutTo cause to take place.
  • drawTo attract or provoke (a particular reaction or response) from someone.
  • driveTo motivate; to provide an incentive for.
  • encourageTo mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit.
  • egg onTo encourage or coax (a person) to do something, especially something foolhardy or reckless.
  • engenderTo bring into existence (a situation, quality, result etc.); to give rise to, cause, create.
  • evokeTo elicit a response.
  • fomentTo incite or cause troublesome acts; to encourage; to instigate.
  • ignite figurativelyTo spark off (something), to trigger.
  • impelTo urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation.
  • incite
  • induceTo cause, bring about, lead to.
  • instigate
  • invokeTo bring about as an inevitable consequence.
  • lash
  • motiveTo prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move.
  • motivateTo provide someone with an incentive to do something; to encourage; to actuate.
  • obligate
  • oblige
  • pushTo continually attempt to persuade (a person) into a particular course of action.
  • promoteTo encourage, urge or incite.
  • promptTo initiate; to cause or lead to.
  • provokeTo bring about a reaction.
  • rouseTo provoke (someone) to react (for example, in anger or annoyance); to spur; also, to annoy, to tease.
  • set offTo begin; to cause; to initiate.
  • spark offTo initiate something by providing the necessary conditions.
  • spurTo urge or encourage to action, or to a more vigorous pursuit of an object.
  • spur onTo spur or urge (someone) to do something.
  • stirTo incite to action.
  • stoke figuratively
  • temptTo provoke something; to court.
  • urgeTo put mental pressure on; to ply with motives, arguments, persuasion, or importunity.
  • whip upTo arouse or excite.
  • abet obsoleteTo urge on, stimulate (a person to do) something desirable.
  • grill Scotland, USTo make angry; provoke; offend, incite.
  • move obsoleteTo incite, urge (someone to do something); to solicit (someone for or of an issue); to make a proposal to.
  • whet obsoleteTo inculcate or teach (habits, information, etc.).

verbTo applaud or encourage with cheers or shouts.

  • beclapTo clap for; to applaud.
  • cheer onTo cheer and support (a team or individual); to barrack; to root for.

Opposite of cheer

nounA cry expressing joy, approval or support, such as "hurrah".

verbTo applaud or encourage with cheers or shouts.

verbMore antonyms

Meaning of cheer

  1. noun A cheerful attitude; happiness; a good, happy, or positive mood.
  2. noun That which promotes good spirits or cheerfulness, especially food and entertainment prepared for a festive occasion.
  3. noun A cry expressing joy, approval or support, such as "hurrah".

Full definition of cheer

cheer in other languages

Questions about synonyms of cheer

What is another word for cheer?
Cheer has 120 synonyms on Word.ws, such as applause, plaudit, clap, clapping, acclaim, acclamation, laudits and cheer up.
What is the opposite of cheer?
The opposite of cheer is boo.
What does cheer mean?
Cheer means a cheerful attitude; happiness; a good, happy, or positive mood.

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: cheer (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated:

Cite this page: “Synonyms of cheer.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/cheer. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.