What Does “Cheer sb up” Mean?
“Cheer sb up” means to make someone feel happier or less sad. It is used when you want to improve someone’s mood.
Introduction
The phrase cheer sb up is a common English phrasal verb that means to help someone feel better when they are sad or upset. Understanding the cheer sb up meaning helps learners use it naturally in daily conversations. It is often used when you want to show kindness or support to a friend, family member, or colleague who is feeling down. This phrase is very useful because it expresses empathy and care in a simple way. You can use it in many situations, like trying to make a friend smile after bad news or lifting someone’s spirits during a tough time.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: cheer somebody up
- Type: transitive
- Level: A2 (Elementary to Pre-Intermediate)
- Short meaning: to make someone feel happier
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Cheer sb up” is a separable phrasal verb. This means you can place the object (sb) either between “cheer” and “up” or after “up.”
- cheer someone up
- cheer up someone
Both forms are correct, but the first is more common.
How to Use “Cheer sb up”?
You use “cheer sb up” when you want to describe the action of making someone feel better emotionally. It is usually followed by a person (somebody/sb) who is sad or unhappy.
Examples of use include offering gifts, kind words, jokes, or spending time with someone to improve their mood.
Examples
- I brought flowers to cheer her up after her bad day.
- He told a funny story to cheer the kids up.
- Sometimes, a simple phone call can really cheer someone up.
- They went out for ice cream to cheer their friend up.
- She listens carefully because she wants to cheer him up.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: Cheer up her after the bad news.
Correct: Cheer her up after the bad news. - Incorrect: She cheered up to me.
Correct: She cheered me up. - Incorrect: He cheers up his friend with a gift. (This is okay, but better to say cheers his friend up)
Correct: He cheers his friend up with a gift.
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrasal verbs to “cheer sb up” include:
- Brighten up: Generally means to make a place or situation happier or more pleasant, but can also apply to a person’s mood.
- Lift sb’s spirits: More formal, meaning to improve someone’s mood.
- Make sb feel better: A broader phrase that can include physical or emotional improvement.
Cheer sb up specifically focuses on causing happiness or reducing sadness in a friendly, informal way.
Common Collocations
- Cheer someone up with a gift
- Cheer someone up by telling jokes
- Cheer someone up after a bad day
- Cheer someone up with kind words
- Cheer someone up by spending time
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of cheer sb up:
Real-life Dialogue
Anna: You look sad today. What’s wrong?
Ben: I didn’t do well on my test.
Anna: Don’t worry! Let me cheer you up. How about we get some ice cream?
Ben: That sounds great. Thanks, Anna!
Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of cheer sb up:
- She bought chocolates to ________ her friend ________ after the breakup.
- We told a funny story to ________ the children ________.
- Can you ________ me ________? I’m feeling down today.
FAQs
- Q: Is “cheer sb up” formal or informal?
A: It is informal and commonly used in everyday conversation. - Q: Can I use “cheer up” alone?
A: Yes, “cheer up” can be used alone as a command to encourage someone to feel better. - Q: What is the difference between “cheer sb up” and “cheer up”?
A: “Cheer sb up” means to make someone else happier, while “cheer up” can mean to become happier yourself or to tell someone to do so. - Q: Can “cheer sb up” be used in past tense?
A: Yes, for example, “She cheered me up yesterday.” - Q: Is “cheer sb up” separable?
A: Yes, you can say “cheer someone up” or “cheer up someone.”
