How to pronounce cheerful
Say it like CHEER-ful. Cheerful has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (CHEER).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce cheerful. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- CHEER
- ful
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cheerful pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- CHEERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- fulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of cheerful
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: CHEER-ful.
What does cheerful mean?
- being full of or promoting cheer; having or showing good spirits“her cheerful nature”“a cheerful greeting”
- pleasantly (even unrealistically) optimistic
Where does cheerful come from?
From Middle English chereful, cherful, equivalent to cheer + -ful.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with cheerful
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of cheerful.
Questions about saying cheerful
How do you pronounce cheerful?
Say CHEER-ful. The American pronunciation is /ˈtʃɪrfəl/. In British English it is /ˈtʃɪəfəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cheerful?
Cheerful has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (CHEER). Broken into parts: CHEER · ful.
Is cheerful pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈtʃɪəfəl/ (CHEER-ful).