What does cheered mean?
"Cheered" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "cheer," carrying two closely related meanings. Its most familiar sense describes shouting or applauding in approval, joy, or encouragement, as when a stadium crowd cheers an athlete's victory. A quieter, more personal sense refers to lifting someone's spirits — offering comfort, hope, or heartening company, often expressed through the phrase "cheered someone up." The word traces back through Middle English and Old French to a root meaning the face, so that to be "in good cheer" once meant simply to have a bright expression; over time the word shifted from describing happiness to actively producing it. Warm and positive in connotation, it works naturally across registers, appearing equally in sports reporting, everyday conversation, and literature about consolation and friendship.
verbPast tense and past participle of "cheer": to shout with joy, approval, or encouragement, or to give comfort and hope to someone.
- Shouted loudly in approval, celebration, or encouragement (e.g., a cheering crowd).
- Gave comfort, hope, or heartening support to someone (e.g., the news cheered her up).
"The crowd cheered as the marathon runner crossed the finish line."
"Thousands of fans cheered when their team scored the winning goal."
"A phone call from her oldest friend cheered her after a long, difficult week."
Before it meant shouting with joy, "cheer" literally meant your face — so to be "of good cheer" was originally just to wear a happy expression.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cheered
"Cheer" entered English via Middle English from Old French "chere," meaning face or countenance, which derives from Late Latin "cara" (face), ultimately from the Greek "kara" (head). The meaning evolved from one's facial expression to one's mood, then to expressions of gladness and finally to vocal outbursts of approval or acts of encouragement. The same Greek root survives distantly in English words like "carotid" and "carotene."
Related word forms
How cheered is actually used
Mostly neutral to positive in tone and common in both formal and informal contexts. In the sense of giving emotional lift, it frequently appears in the pattern "cheered someone up." As a transitive verb it takes the person or group being encouraged as its object; in the celebratory sense it is often intransitive.
Easily confused with cheered
"Cheered" means shouted in support or approval, while the similar-sounding "jeered" means shouted insults or mockery.