perk

\ ˈpərk

How to pronounce perk (audio)

\

perked; perking; perks

Definition of perk

(Entry 1 of 3)

intransitive verb

1a : 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 uphe'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

perked; perking; perks

Definition of perk (Entry 2 of 3)

intransitive verb

perk

Definition of perk (Entry 3 of 3)

: perquisite —usually used in plural

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about perk

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of perk in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb There’s also no guarantee that the economy will perk back up as the city and state continue to reopen, Reich said. — Obed Manuel, Dallas News, "Tough budget talks ahead for Dallas officials as calls to defund police grow louder," 18 June 2020 Fresh herbs perk up a salad and can be added to salad dressing for even more flavor. — oregonlive, "How to grow herbs indoors to spice up your cooking," 9 June 2020 Even high, Winston's ears perk up at the admission of wrongdoings. — Martha Sorren, refinery29.com, "13 Reasons Why," 8 June 2020 So will the Baltimore Ravens, who perk up a three-game Thanksgiving slate loaded with entertaining quarterbacks but lacking in interesting matchups. — Ben Shpigel, New York Times, "the N.F.L.’s 2020 regular-season schedule," 7 May 2020 Ours combines tangy lime juice with sweet-sour rice vinegar and soy sauce for a delicious, zesty dunker that perks up the crunchy vegetable appetizer. — The Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, Good Housekeeping, "Summer Rolls," 10 Apr. 2020 One of my favorite fall dishes is a carrot, parsnip and sweet potato tagine, perked up with ginger and lots of soft onions. — Becky Krystal, Washington Post, "Root, root, root for rutabaga, turnips and those other unappreciated vegetables," 8 Nov. 2019 The Onondaga tribe, among others from the Northeastern United States, would have been able to serve them with forest berries, perking up the rich, dark meat with color and flavor. — New York Times, "Sean Sherman’s 10 Essential Native American Recipes," 7 Nov. 2019 Five months into Chris Smith's voyage, the tone of his messages perked up and the worrisome talk of suicide disappeared. — James Vlahos, GQ, "The Mystery of the Killer Vacation," 18 Apr. 2018 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Drivers can get their trucks fixed at the company headquarters and get a wash too, which Gray said is an appreciate perk. — Mary Kilpatrick, cleveland, "Anderson-Dubose Co. throws prom-like banquet: Top Workplaces 2020 first-place winner," 28 June 2020 This is an excerpt of Fortune Analytics, an exclusive newsletter that Fortune Premium subscribers receive as a perk of their subscription. — Lance Lambert, Fortune, "Amazon dominates e-commerce during the pandemic—but Walmart is catching up," 26 June 2020 Another perk is the company’s private oasis called The Beach Club at Bimini, complete with white sand beaches, crystal clear waters, a massive swimming pool and plenty of Instagram-worthy hangouts. — Hannah Chubb, PEOPLE.com, "Virgin Voyages Announces New Sail Date and Health Plan for First Adults-Only Cruise," 23 June 2020 The Heroes Act, passed by the House of Representatives, would extend the perk until early next year but the Senate is unlikely to approve the legislation. — Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, "Bye $600 jobless benefit, eviction reprieve, cash for small firms. COVID-19 relief ending.," 23 June 2020 Refinery29 offered unlimited vacation as a perk, but some writers say the push for traffic made taking time off nearly impossible. — Kerry Flynn, CNN, "Refinery29 is reeling from claims of racism and toxic work culture. Employees say it's even worse behind the scenes," 11 June 2020 Efficient time management: a rare perk of quarantine living. — Rich Juzwiak, Washington Post, "Date Lab: They had the most chemistry she has felt in a while," 11 June 2020 The coupons are a coveted perk and a hot commodity on flights and on eBay. — Dawn Gilbertson, USA TODAY, "Have Southwest drink coupons but not flying right now? The airline is extending expiration dates," 8 June 2020 The spokesman described the cameras as a nice perk, but not crucial to the department’s mission. — Caitlin Mcglade, azcentral, "Department of Public Safety is the largest agency in Arizona without body cameras," 6 June 2020

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.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about perk

Dictionary Entries near perk

perkin's purple

Perkin reaction

Statistics for perk

Last Updated

29 Jun 2020

Cite this Entry

“Perk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perk. Accessed 11 Jul. 2020.

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for perk

perk

noun

English Language Learners Definition of perk

: 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

See the full definition for perk in the English Language Learners Dictionary

perk

\ ˈpərk

\

perked; perking

Kids Definition of perk

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.

Keep scrolling for more

WORD OF THE DAY

confabulate

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Words for Summer: A Quiz

Which of the following words means “of or relating to summer”?

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.