cheer up
A2 informal separable both
In simple words
To start feeling better when you were sad, or to help someone else stop feeling sad.
Literal meaning: To lift someone's 'cheer' (spirit or mood) 'up' — to raise their emotional state.
Meanings
1 A2
idiomatic
informal
To become happier or more positive after feeling sad or discouraged.
"She cheered up considerably when she heard she had passed the exam."
""Cheer up, things could be worse.""
— Common English idiom, widely attested in literature and popular culture
Grammar: inseparable
2 A2
idiomatic
informal
To make someone else feel happier or more positive.
"He bought her flowers to cheer her up after the bad news."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Can be used as a command ('Cheer up!') or as a description of a change in mood. Very common in everyday speech. Often used when comforting friends or family. Can come across as dismissive if used carelessly in response to serious grief.
Commonly used with
mood spirits friend face day patient
Forms
Base
cheer up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
cheers up
he/she/it
Past simple
cheered up
yesterday
Past participle
cheered up
have + pp
-ing form
cheering up
continuous
Understand "cheer up" better
Try:
Real video examples
Video examples are being collected. Check back soon.
Want to master this phrasal verb?
Practice "cheer up" on Looplines