perk

play

verb \ˈpərk\

Definition of perk

intransitive verb
1a : to thrust up the head, stretch out the neck, or carry the body in a bold or insolent mannerb : 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

Among non-family caregiver perks some companies are dangling include help in repaying student loans, gym memberships, sabbaticals, and healthcare insurance for pets.

— barb darrow, Fortune, "Microsoft Expands Paid Leave for Family Caregivers", 27 June 2017
Squeezing one wee lemon wedge can perk up pasta, salads or beverages — a key ingredient despite its small part.

— jennifer rude klett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Lemon love: Tart, bright flavors are made for summer", 20 June 2017
Quickley seemed to perk up when Larranaga told him of the NBA players who work out at the UM gym in the off-season, including Cleveland Cavaliers stars Kyrie Irving and LeBron James.

— michelle kaufman, miamiherald, "UM still in mix for five-star recruit Immanuel Quickley", 20 June 2017
Even stock markets overseas, notoriously poor investments for much of the last decade, are perking higher.

— Washington Post, "This is peak investing: Stocks, bonds and concerns are up", 17 June 2017
Sure, going blonde wasn’t going to establish world peace or bring Hillary back from the ashes, but if something as simple as a kicky new summer 'do could perk me up, then sign me up.

— anne roderique-jones, SELF, "I Went Platinum Blonde and Did Not Have More Fun", 4 June 2017
A rebound in trade growth from postcrisis lows should help perk up the global economy next year to its fastest pace in nearly seven years, the World Bank said Sunday.

— ian talley, WSJ, "World Bank Forecasts Global Economic Growth to Hit Seven-Year High Next Year", 4 June 2017
Age, off-season foot surgery and a recent hamstring problem have contributed to a slow start to Pujols' 2017 season, but he's been perking up lately.

— jay jaffe, SI.com, "Projecting career home run totals for 17 active sluggers, and why the 600 Club still matters", 31 May 2017
But right now, the Huskies don’t have to play any mental games to perk themselves up.

— matt calkins, The Seattle Times, "Washington’s Triple Crown in rowing well earned", 29 May 2017

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!

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

perk

verb

Definition of perk

intransitive verb
: percolate

Recent Examples of perk from the Web

Among non-family caregiver perks some companies are dangling include help in repaying student loans, gym memberships, sabbaticals, and healthcare insurance for pets.

— barb darrow, Fortune, "Microsoft Expands Paid Leave for Family Caregivers", 27 June 2017
Squeezing one wee lemon wedge can perk up pasta, salads or beverages — a key ingredient despite its small part.

— jennifer rude klett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Lemon love: Tart, bright flavors are made for summer", 20 June 2017
Quickley seemed to perk up when Larranaga told him of the NBA players who work out at the UM gym in the off-season, including Cleveland Cavaliers stars Kyrie Irving and LeBron James.

— michelle kaufman, miamiherald, "UM still in mix for five-star recruit Immanuel Quickley", 20 June 2017
Even stock markets overseas, notoriously poor investments for much of the last decade, are perking higher.

— Washington Post, "This is peak investing: Stocks, bonds and concerns are up", 17 June 2017
Sure, going blonde wasn’t going to establish world peace or bring Hillary back from the ashes, but if something as simple as a kicky new summer 'do could perk me up, then sign me up.

— anne roderique-jones, SELF, "I Went Platinum Blonde and Did Not Have More Fun", 4 June 2017
A rebound in trade growth from postcrisis lows should help perk up the global economy next year to its fastest pace in nearly seven years, the World Bank said Sunday.

— ian talley, WSJ, "World Bank Forecasts Global Economic Growth to Hit Seven-Year High Next Year", 4 June 2017
Age, off-season foot surgery and a recent hamstring problem have contributed to a slow start to Pujols' 2017 season, but he's been perking up lately.

— jay jaffe, SI.com, "Projecting career home run totals for 17 active sluggers, and why the 600 Club still matters", 31 May 2017
But right now, the Huskies don’t have to play any mental games to perk themselves up.

— matt calkins, The Seattle Times, "Washington’s Triple Crown in rowing well earned", 29 May 2017

First Known Use of perk

1922

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

DeMoulin has dual citizenship, but that perk won't come along with the deed.

— michelle miller, CBS News, ""A home that straddles two countries": Unique house for sale", 29 June 2017
Santa's coming to town this month delivering deals, discounts, sweepstakes, exclusive experiences and other fun perks to our subscribers.

— Cincinnati.com, "CHRISTMAS IN JULY", 23 June 2017
Make the most of your Courier-Journal membership with Xtras!. Log in to your digital subscription often to find perks, events, deals and exclusive content just for being a subscriber!

— The Courier-Journal, "Win a $250 Gift Card!", 23 June 2017
This perk can also put the kibosh on bleeding after birth, according to ACOG.

— elizabeth narins, Cosmopolitan, "11 Amazing Ways Moms Benefit From Breastfeeding", 22 June 2017
Other Florida summer hotel deals include: W Miami offers Florida Residents extra perks: two cocktail tickets upon check-in redeemable at either the property’s signature restaurant 15th and Vine, or 50-stories up at the WET deck.

— richard tribou, OrlandoSentinel.com, "More summer deals offered at Florida hotels and resorts", 21 June 2017
Overall the sound quality of the Matebook X with the Dolby speakers is great for such a slim laptop and a great perk for those who often have desk jam sessions using their notebooks.

— valentina palladino, Ars Technica, "Huawei Matebook X review: The cost of a Windows PC with a MacBook design", 16 June 2017
And while there's something to be said about big city living, downsizing sure has its perks—think local boutiques, tons of outdoor activities, and ratios of restaurants to people that lean way in your favor.

— caitlin morton, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Most Beautiful Towns in America", 6 June 2017
Although some developers are focusing on community-building amenities, Miami has no shortage of luxury condo towers with concierge services and over-the-top perks — for the few who can afford them.

— rene rodriguez, miamiherald, "Luxury amenities still a draw for expensive condos", 4 June 2017

First Known Use of perk

1824

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

play

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.