cheer

cheer — verb

1. to make a loud cry of support when someone is doing well or needs encouragement,

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to make a loud cry of support when someone is doing well or needs encouragement, such as at a sports match or concert.

例句

The crowd cheered loudly when Aiko scored the winning goal in the final match.

cheer + for achievement

Parents cheered for their children at the school swimming race last Friday.

cheer for + person/group

同義詞
  • applaud

    applaud means clapping hands, while cheer means shouting

  • root for

    root for is informal and more common in American English, often over a longer period

  • acclaim

    acclaim is more formal and suggests high praise, not just encouragement

反義詞
  • boo

    to shout disapproval rather than support

文法句型

cheer for somebody/something

cheer somebody

cheer + on

用法筆記

This sense works both with and without a direct object. Use 'cheer for + person' when the person is named after the preposition, or 'cheer + person' as a direct object. The phrasal verb 'cheer on' adds the idea of supporting someone through a whole effort, not just one moment.

常見錯誤

I cheered for the movie when it ended.' (not the right context for a film watched alone)
I cheered for the runner as she crossed the finish line.
💡'cheer for' is for live events with people performing, not for films or books.
She cheered to her friend at the park.
She cheered for her friend at the park.
💡'cheer for' is the correct prepositional pattern, not 'cheer to'.

2. to make someone feel happier, less worried, or more hopeful about a difficult si

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to make someone feel happier, less worried, or more hopeful about a difficult situation.

例句

The good news cheered the Watanabe family after weeks of worry about the storm.

passive: be cheered by something

Leila was cheered by the kind messages she received from her classmates.

cheer + direct object = make happier

同義詞
  • comfort

    comfort is more about easing sadness, while cheer is about raising spirits

  • reassure

    reassure focuses on removing doubt or fear, while cheer focuses on increasing happiness

  • encourage

    encourage is about giving someone the confidence to act, while cheer lifts their mood

反義詞
  • depress

    to make someone feel sad or without hope

  • discourage

    to take away someone's confidence or hope

文法句型

be cheered (by something)

cheer somebody

用法筆記

Frequently used in the passive ('be cheered by'). The subject that causes the cheerfulness is typically good news, kind words, or a welcoming atmosphere. This sense is distinct from verb sense 1 (SHOUT SUPPORT), which involves making noise rather than changing someone's mood.

常見錯誤

I cheered my friend up after she lost her job' (this mixes sense 2 with the phrasal verb 'cheer up').
My friend was cheered by my offer to help.
💡sense 2 is about making someone feel better; 'cheer up' is the phrasal verb for this idea.

cheer — noun