cheerleader vs friend

cheerleader and friend both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
cheerleader	Yes	No	No	No
friend	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, friend is a hypernym of cheerleader; that is, friend is a word with a broader meaning than cheerleader:

Other hypernyms of cheerleader include admirer, booster, champion, protagonist, supporter.

cheerleader (noun)	friend (noun)
someone who leads the cheers by spectators at a sporting event	a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
an enthusiastic and vocal supporter	a person with whom you are acquainted
	an associate who provides cooperation or assistance
	a person who backs a politician or a team etc.