verb

make more cheerful or confident.

she was heartened to observe that the effect was faintly comic

cheer up,cheer,raise someone’s spirits,encourage,comfort,reassure,console,boost,buoy up,perk up,ginger up,invigorate,revitalize,energize,animate,rouse,revivify,exhilarate,uplift,elate,buck up,pep up,give a shot in the arm to,inspirit