perk

1 of 3

verb (1)

ˈpərk 

perked; perking; perks

intransitive verb

1

a

: to thrust up the head, stretch out the neck, or carry the body in a bold or insolent manner

b

: to stick up or out jauntily

2

: to gain in vigor or cheerfulness especially after a period of weakness or depression

—usually used with up

he's perked up noticeably

transitive verb

1

: to make smart or spruce in appearance : freshen, improve

—often used with up

2

: to thrust up quickly or impudently

perk

2 of 3

verb (2)

perked; perking; perks

intransitive verb

: percolate

perk

3 of 3

noun

: perquisite

—usually used in plural

Synonyms of perk

Verb (1)

• brighten
• cheer (up)

Noun

• bonus
• dividend
• gift

Examples of perk in a Sentence

Verb (1)

we perked up once the sun came out

the dog tilts her head and perks up her ears whenever someone speaks to her

Noun

the salary's not great, but the perks make up for it

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Peek-a-boo bras that perk out of tops were all over last year’s red carpets. —Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 10 Jan. 2026

People tend to perk back up or pink up. —Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 7 Jan. 2026

Noun

Carmakers in the country have rolled out a new round of price cuts and perks at the start of this year as demands remained sluggish and the government withdrew part of a tax incentive for eligible electric vehicles. —Anniek Bao, CNBC, 9 Jan. 2026

In an industry known for private jets and lavish perks, Palmer Luckey, the 33-year-old billionaire founder of Oculus VR and the defense technology company Anduril, cuts a distinct figure. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1583, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1b

Verb (2)

1922, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1869, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing perk

• perk up
• perk (up) one's ears

Rhymes for perk

• berk
• birk
• cirque
• clerk
• dirk
• erk
• irk
• jerk
• kirk
• lurk
• merc
• merch

Kids Definition

perk

verb

ˈpərk

1

: to lift quickly or alertly

the dog perked up its ears

2

: to make fresher in appearance

new paint perked up the room

3

: to become more lively or cheerful

—usually used with up

we perked up at the good news