cheerleader

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/ˈtʃɪə(ɹ)ˌliːdə(ɹ)/

noun

A person, usually a young, attractive female, who encourages applause and cheers at a sports event, and wearing a specially-designed uniform in the official colors of the team he/she cheers for.

Opposite
gloomleader
CommonScrabble 17
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Meanings

nouncheerleader (plural cheerleaders)

plural cheerleaders

  1. A person, usually a young, attractive female, who encourages applause and cheers at a sports event, and wearing a specially-designed uniform in the official colors of the team he/she cheers for.
  2. figurativelyA person who rallies support for any cause.

    Given these sentiments, it is unsurprising that ultranationalists have been the main cheerleaders of closer Russia-North Korea relations.

    2023 November 17, “Russia and North Korea: A Growing Strategic Partnership”, in 38 North

    Antonyms: gloomleader

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA person who rallies support for any cause.

Opposite
gloomleader

Origin

From cheer + leader.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans rasieleier
  • rasieleierperson (usually female) who encourages applause
Bulgarian мажоре́тка, раде́тел
  • мажоре́тка (mažorétka)person (usually female) who encourages applause
  • раде́тел (radétel)person who rallies support for any cause
Chinese Mandarin 拉拉隊員 /拉拉队员, 支持者
  • 拉拉隊員 /拉拉队员 (lālāduìyuán)person (usually female) who encourages applause
  • 支持者 (zhīchízhě)person who rallies support for any cause
Czech roztleskávačka
  • roztleskávačkaperson (usually female) who encourages applause
Danish cheerleader
  • cheerleaderperson (usually female) who encourages applause
Dutch cheerleader
  • cheerleaderperson (usually female) who encourages applause
Esperanto kuraĝigistino
  • kuraĝigistinoperson (usually female) who encourages applause
Finnish cheerleader, kellokas
  • cheerleaderperson (usually female) who encourages applause
  • kellokasperson who rallies support for any cause
French pom-pom girl, cheerleader
  • pom-pom girlperson (usually female) who encourages applause
  • cheerleaderperson (usually female) who encourages applause
German Cheerleader, Cheerleaderin
  • Cheerleaderperson (usually female) who encourages applause
  • Cheerleaderinperson (usually female) who encourages applause
Hungarian vezérszurkoló, pomponlány
  • vezérszurkolóperson (usually female) who encourages applause
  • pomponlányperson (usually female) who encourages applause
  • hangadóperson who rallies support for any cause
Icelandic klappstýra
  • klappstýraperson (usually female) who encourages applause
Japanese チアリーダー, チアガール
  • チアリーダー (chiarīdā)person (usually female) who encourages applause
  • チアガール (chiagāru)person (usually female) who encourages applause
Korean 치어리더, 치어걸
  • 치어리더 (chieorideo)person (usually female) who encourages applause
  • 치어걸 (chieogeol)person (usually female) who encourages applause
Latvian karsējmeitene
  • karsējmeiteneperson (usually female) who encourages applause
Malay ketua penyorak
  • ketua penyorakperson (usually female) who encourages applause
Polish czirliderka, cheerleaderka
  • czirliderkaperson (usually female) who encourages applause
  • cheerleaderkaperson (usually female) who encourages applause
Portuguese líder de torcida, líder de claque
  • líder de torcidaperson (usually female) who encourages applause
  • líder de claqueperson (usually female) who encourages applause
  • cheerleaderperson (usually female) who encourages applause
  • animadora de torcidaperson (usually female) who encourages applause
Romanian majoretă
  • majoretăperson (usually female) who encourages applause
Russian чирли́дер, чирли́дерша
  • чирли́дер (čirlíder)person (usually female) who encourages applause
  • чирли́дерша (čirlíderša)person (usually female) who encourages applause
Spanish porrista, animadora
  • porristaperson (usually female) who encourages applause
  • animadoraperson (usually female) who encourages applause
Swedish hejaklacksledare
  • hejaklacksledareperson (usually female) who encourages applause
Vietnamese hoạt náo viên
  • hoạt náo viênperson (usually female) who encourages applause
Yiddish הוראַניק, הוראַניצע
  • הוראַניק (huranik)person (usually female) who encourages applause
  • הוראַניצע (huranitse)person (usually female) who encourages applause
  • הוראַ־שרײַער (hura-shrayer)person (usually female) who encourages applause
  • הוראַ־שרײַערין (hura-shrayerin)person (usually female) who encourages applause
Cite this entry
APA

cheerleader. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cheerleader

MLA

“cheerleader.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cheerleader. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cheerleader,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cheerleader.

Source: cheerleader on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.