To become happier, or to make someone else feel happier after they have been sad or worried.
To start feeling better when you were sad, or to help someone else stop feeling sad.
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
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
To make someone else feel happier or more positive.
"He bought her flowers to cheer her up after the bad news."
To lift someone's 'cheer' (spirit or mood) 'up' — to raise their emotional state.
To start feeling better when you were sad, or to help someone else stop feeling sad.
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.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Listen to native speakers using "cheer up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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