perk up
phrasal verb
perked up; perking up; perks up
informal
1
: to become more lively or cheerful or to make (someone) more lively or cheerful
We perked up when we heard the good news.
The good news perked everyone up.
2
: to make (something) fresher or more appealing
The new paint job really perked up the room.
3
chiefly US, of an animal's ears
: to be lifted in a quick and alert way
The dog's ears perked up.
—often used figuratively of a personMy ears perked up when I heard my name mentioned.
Examples of perk up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As a non-gel girl myself, my ears perked up.
—
Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 30 Jan. 2026
Whenever Bruno Mars returns and releases new music, Americans perk up and pay attention.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The neighbor dog quickly perks up, and the two pups head off together for what viewers assume is their regular playtime.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
Something troopers threatened to use to clear the crowd made a lot of ears perk up.
—Derek James, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for perk up
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.
Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 30 Jan. 2026
Whenever Bruno Mars returns and releases new music, Americans perk up and pay attention.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The neighbor dog quickly perks up, and the two pups head off together for what viewers assume is their regular playtime.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
Something troopers threatened to use to clear the crowd made a lot of ears perk up.
—Derek James, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for perk up
Cite this Entry
“Perk up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perk%20up. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
