perk

1 of 3

verb (1)

perked; perking; perks
Synonyms of perknext

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

perk

3 of 3

noun

: perquisite
usually used in plural

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
After Anthropic raised $65 billion at a $965 billion valuation last week, and then confidentially filed S-1 draft to the Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday, using company stock in exchange for housing has likely only perked more employees’ ears. Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 7 June 2026 Missouri has seen an uptick in movie-making business thanks to new tax credits and other incentives — perks the state of Kansas does not currently offer. Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 29 May 2026
Noun
Institutional perks American institutions are built around transparency, public oversight and decentralized authority, all of which help to expose inefficiencies and promote improvements. Wei Zhang, Mercury News, 13 June 2026 How to Book Hôtel Plaza Athénée is part of American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts, which offers perks such as daily breakfast for two, early check-in, late check-out, and room upgrades (based on availability). Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for perk

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of perk was in 1583

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Perk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perk. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

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

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