English Reference

Phrasal verb

cheer up

Irregular verb

Forms

Infinitive

cheer up

Past

cheered up

Past participle

cheered up

Definition

phrasal verb. to start feeling happier or to make someone else feel better when they are sad.

phrasal verb. to become more cheerful or to cause someone to feel happier. The verb functions both intransitively and transitively.

Examples

“Cheer up, the weekend starts tomorrow.”

“We tried to cheer up the children by taking them to the park after the rain stopped.”

“The unexpected arrival of her old college friend served to cheer up the patient more effectively than any of the hospital's standard wellness programs.”

Examples

simple

“Cheer up, the weekend starts tomorrow.”

contextual

“We tried to cheer up the children by taking them to the park after the rain stopped.”

complex

“The unexpected arrival of her old college friend served to cheer up the patient more effectively than any of the hospital's standard wellness programs.”

Usage

When used with a person as the object, it is often separable.

Teaching tip

Contrast the intransitive use ('He cheered up') with the transitive use ('I cheered him up'), noting that pronouns must come between the verb and particle.

Pitfall

I tried to cheer up him.

I tried to cheer him up.

When the object is a pronoun like 'him' or 'her', it must go between 'cheer' and 'up'.

Phrasal verb

Particles

up

Separability

optional

Pattern

cheer + (object) + up

Synonyms

perk upbrighten upgladdenenliven

Antonyms

depresssadden

Grammar

Phrasal verbs (introduction)

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
Frequency
Common
Level
B1 · Intermediate
Updated

QR code

englishreference.com/q/cheer-up
English Reference