cheered

Cheered is the past tense and past participle of the verb cheer. It denotes the act of shouting in praise or encouragement, or of causing someone to feel happier or more hopeful. Intransitive use describes a crowd or audience expressing approval or joy, as in The crowd cheered after the goal. Transitive use means to cause someone to feel encouraged or less sad, as in The news cheered her up. It can also indicate support or motivation given to a person or group, as in The instructor cheered the team on.

Usage notes: Common phrases include cheer up (to improve someone’s mood), cheer on (to encourage a participant), and cheering (the act or sound of encouragement). The past tense can describe a completed action or a state resulting from it, e.g., The announcement cheered investors.

In journalism and narrative writing, “cheered” usually conveys positive reception without detailing the action. In other contexts, it can describe the emotional impact of events on individuals or groups.

Etymology: The verb derives from the broader family of cheer words in English; its sense related to mood, spirit, and encouragement developed in Middle English from earlier linguistic roots in Germanic and Romance language traditions.

See also: cheer, cheering, cheerfulness, cheerful, cheerleader.