Cheerlead

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To act as a supporter or promoter of a team, event, or cause through enthusiastic vocal encouragement and rallying
2. Engaging in the activity of leading cheers or chants to boost team morale and uplift spectators at sporting events
3. Functioning as a team member who leads chants, performs routines, and encourages spectators to support a specific group or event

Etymology: "Cheerlead" is a back-formation: English speakers first had "cheerleader", and "cheerlead" was later carved out of it by treating the "-er" ending as if it were a suffix to strip away. The noun "cheerleader" came first, so the verb is the newer of the two, built backwards from a word already in use. The noun itself is a compound of "cheer" and "leader", describing someone who leads crowds in chants and shouted encouragement at sporting events. The verb took on the same sense: to lead cheers, and then more broadly to promote or rally support for a team, event, or cause. Because the noun is the older form, the verb's meaning follows its agent directly, so anyone who cheerleads is doing what a cheerleader does.

Synonyms: cheer, encourage, support, promote, rally

Antonyms: discourage, dissuade, oppose, hinder, detract