perk

1 of 3

verb (1)

ˈpərk 

perked; perking; perks

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

perk

2 of 3

verb (2)

perked; perking; perks

intransitive verb

: percolate

perk

3 of 3

noun

: perquisite

—usually used in plural

Synonyms of perk

Verb (1)

• brighten
• cheer (up)

Noun

• bonus
• dividend
• gift

Examples of perk in a Sentence

Verb (1)

we perked up once the sun came out

the dog tilts her head and perks up her ears whenever someone speaks to her

Noun

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

When investors have been disappointed repeatedly and then the business perks back up and looks set to continue headed higher, the result can be a big run up in the stock price. — Evan Clark, Footwear News, 30 June 2026

After Anthropic raised $65 billion at a $965 billion valuation last week, and then confidentially filed S-1 draft to the Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday, using company stock in exchange for housing has likely only perked more employees’ ears. — Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 7 June 2026

Noun

The club also has a robust membership program, with 880,000 paying participants; a standard membership starts at $25 annually and offers discounts and other perks. — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 13 July 2026

Hiking and walking deliver similar health benefits and even stronger social perks without the same physical or financial ask. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1583, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1b

Verb (2)

1922, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1869, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing perk

• perk up
• perk (up) one's ears

Rhymes for perk

• berk
• birk
• cirque
• clerk
• dirk
• erk
• irk
• jerk
• kirk
• lurk
• merc
• merch

Kids Definition

perk

verb

ˈpərk

1

: to lift quickly or alertly

the dog perked up its ears

2

: to make fresher in appearance

new paint perked up the room

3

: to become more lively or cheerful

—usually used with up

we perked up at the good news