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
Earlier today, talks surrounding the sale of Paramount’s BET assets perked up, with Bloomberg reporting BET’s current CEO Scott Ellis along with private equity firm CC Capital prepared to pony up $1.6 billion to buy the Black entertainment brand.
—
Brian Welk, IndieWire, 2 July 2024
Hiding in the outlet are patio furniture picks that’ll perk up your outdoor spaces for up to 78 percent off.
—Melissa Epifano, Peoplemag, 29 June 2024
Kansas City Chiefs receiver Hollywood Brown perked up Saturday when a reporter suggested KC could have a track team at the wideout position.
—Jesse Newell, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2024
Fans and audiences perked up – the show cracked the Nielsen streaming charts – as did critics, with Matalas earning a WGA nomination for his work.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for perk up 
Brian Welk, IndieWire, 2 July 2024
Hiding in the outlet are patio furniture picks that’ll perk up your outdoor spaces for up to 78 percent off.
—Melissa Epifano, Peoplemag, 29 June 2024
Kansas City Chiefs receiver Hollywood Brown perked up Saturday when a reporter suggested KC could have a track team at the wideout position.
—Jesse Newell, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2024
Fans and audiences perked up – the show cracked the Nielsen streaming charts – as did critics, with Matalas earning a WGA nomination for his work.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for perk up
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'perk up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near perk up
Cite this Entry
“Perk up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perk%20up. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.
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