perk

verb \ ˈpərk \

|Updated on: 17 Aug 2018

Examples: perk in a Sentence

Definition of perk

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

Recent Examples of perk from the Web

Students from a local architectural school are hoping Lemon Grove residents will help them perk up the downtown Promenade Park.

— karen pearlman, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Architecture students hope to freshen Lemon Grove park," 11 July 2018
With Offred/June beginning to perk up following her zombie phase in episodes 4 and 5, the first six episodes of Season two have led in a circle to the restoration of the Waterford household status quo.

— rena gross, Billboard, "'The Handmaid's Tale': Season 2, Episode 6 Recap - 12 Haunting Moments From 'First Blood'," 23 May 2018
Some might perk up at the idea of a lightweight yet durable tablet with a 2048×1536 display and a built-in Wacom stylus running Chrome OS, but this device (like many other Chrome OS devices) will only be sold in the education market.

— valentina palladino, Ars Technica, "Acer Chromebook Tab 10 review: Chrome OS revives Google’s tablet future," 23 June 2018
However, Nigeria perked up in the second period and got themselves back in the game through Iwobi.

— SI.com, "England 2-1 Nigeria: Three Lions Best Super Eagles Thanks to Kane & Cahill Strikes," 2 June 2018
When those levels were restored to normal, the rabbits perked up and began hopping around the lab.

— WSJ, "Arvid Carlsson, Snubbed at University in Sweden, Found a Path to Nobel Prize in Medicine," 13 July 2018
Let talented East Bay bartenders perk up your palate with innovative drinks showcasing stone fruit, melons, berries, tomatoes, and other peak-season produce from the Jack London Square Farmers Market.

— SFChronicle.com, "Party Under the Palms: Summer Cocktails of the Farmers Market," 10 July 2018
Central banks leap into action, cutting interest rates to perk up investment.

— The Economist, "Central banks should consider offering accounts to everyone," 26 May 2018
Saks Fifth Avenue itself is coming off of three years of comparable sales decline, though business has perked up in recent quarters.

— phil wahba, Fortune, "Saks Fifth Avenue's Beauty Business Gets a Big Makeover," 21 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'perk.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of perk

Middle English

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

perk

verb

Definition of perk

intransitive verb

: percolate

First Known Use of perk

1922

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

perk

noun

Definition of perk

: perquisite —usually used in plural

See perk defined for English-language learners

Examples of perk in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of perk from the Web

Both new plans, however, will keep perks such as access to Hulu and free text and data in over 185 destinations around the world.

— eli blumenthal, USA TODAY, "Sprint's new unlimited plans add choice-- and an option for Tidal," 12 July 2018
Amazon is offering a new Prime Day perk this year: exclusive products and content that will only be available to Prime members.

— emily heller, Curbed, "What to expect from Amazon Prime Day 2018," 3 July 2018
The pricier tickets include such perks as premium seating, photos ops, and membership in the DNC’s National Finance Committee, the report said.

— bradford betz, Fox News, "Obama to headline pricey LA fundraiser for Democrats later this month," 2 June 2018
Memberships are available that give members perks such as access to golf, tennis, spa specials and kids’ activities.

— amy aumick, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Explore Florida's Flagler County: Big-fish resort in a small-pond setting," 6 May 2018
On top of getting to work from the comfort of your couch, the job comes with some other sweet perks, too.

— caroline picard, Good Housekeeping, "AAA Club Alliance Is Hiring Work-From-Home Positions With Full Benefits," 11 July 2018
Rauen says Envision instead offers less tangible perks, such as extra time off for children’s activities and other events, and the freedom to veer at times from a 9-to-5 work schedule.

— paul davidson, USA TODAY, "Flexible hours, $10,000 referral fee: Small businesses get creative to hire in tight labor market," 11 July 2018
The first 500 donors will receive multiple perks, including two Arizona Diamondbacks game tickets, vouchers for a free Whataburger and complimentary drinks from Arizona Craft Brewers Guild.

— bayan wang, azcentral, "Tempe blood drive seeks 500 donors to meet holiday demand," 28 June 2018
Presumably, the perks — money, power — were better with Crimson Dawn.

— amy erica smith, Vox, "Solo reveals the weakness of the Star Wars Galactic Empire," 20 June 2018

First Known Use of perk

1824

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

perk Synonyms

Synonyms

bonus, dividend, extra, gratuity, gravy, lagniappe, perquisite, throw-in, tip;

Related Words

pension;

bestowal, presentation;

benefaction, beneficence, benevolence, bounty, charity, generosity, largesse (also largess), philanthropy;

contribution, donation, gift, offering, present;

grant, subsidy;

boon, manna, windfall;

favor, freebie (or freebee), giveaway, premium;

award, prize, reward;

fringe benefit, icing;

Other Business Terms

amortize, caveat emptor, clearinghouse, divest, due diligence, emolument, green-collar, marque, overhead, perquisite

PERK Defined for English Language Learners

perk

noun

Definition of perk for English Language Learners

: something extra that someone receives in addition to regular pay for doing a job
: a good thing that you have or get because of your situation

PERK Defined for Kids

perk

verb \ ˈpərk \

Definition of perk for Students

perked; perking

1 : to make or become more lively or cheerful

I perked up when I heard the good news.

2 : to make fresher in appearance

Let's perk the room up with fresh paint.

3 : to lift in a quick, alert, or bold way

The dog perked its ears.

Learn More about perk

See words that rhyme with perk Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for perk Spanish Central: Translation of perk Nglish: Translation of perk for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of perk for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about perk

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perk

Definition of perk

Recent Examples of perk from the Web

Origin and Etymology of perk

perk

Definition of perk

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perk

Definition of perk

Examples of perk in a Sentence

Recent Examples of perk from the Web

First Known Use of perk

perk Synonyms

Synonyms

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PERK Defined for English Language Learners

perk

Definition of perk for English Language Learners

PERK Defined for Kids

perk

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