What Does Cheer Up Mean?
Cheer up has two meanings.
- Become happier: you start to feel better.
- Make someone happier: you do something kind or funny for them.
Cheer up! The sun is coming out.
A funny joke can cheer anyone up.
🗣️ Natural Examples
Becoming happier:
Leo cheered up when he saw his friends.
She was sad about the rain, but she soon cheered up.
Cheer up, the weekend is nearly here.
Making someone happier:
We drew a card to cheer Mia up.
A song cheered up the whole class.
I made my grandpa a cup of tea to cheer him up.
✂️ Can You Separate It?
Yes, when there is an object. The person can go in the middle.
With a noun, both places are fine.
✅ Cheer up Mia.
✅ Cheer Mia up.
With him, her, them, me, the small word must go after.
✅ Cheer her up.
❌ Cheer up her.
When you become happier yourself, there is no object. Nothing to split: I cheered up.
🛠️ How to Use It
- You become happier: cheer up. Often a friendly command: Cheer up!
- You make someone happier: cheer + person + up. He cheered me up.
- Past tense: cheered up.
- Say Cheer up! with a smile. In a cross voice, it can sound unkind.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
Pronoun in the middle.
❌ I tried to cheer up him.
✅ I tried to cheer him up.
Cheer up is not cheer on. Cheer on means to shout to support a team.
❌ We cheered up the team at the match.
✅ We cheered on the team at the match.
💬 In a Conversation
Sam: You look sad. How can I cheer you up?
Mia: Tell me a joke.
Sam: What do you call a fish with no eyes?
Mia: I do not know.
Sam: A fsh.
Mia: Okay, that cheered me up.
💡 The OddLingo Trick
Feelings go up and down. A smile goes up at the corners, and a sad face goes down.
When you cheer up, your feelings go up.
👯 Similar Expressions
- brighten up: to become happier, or to make something look brighter.
- perk up: to become more lively.
- cheer on: a different phrasal verb. It is for shouting support.