perked; perking; perks
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
2
: to thrust up quickly or impudently
: perquisite
—usually used in plural
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
Madison Flager, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Apr. 2026
The Vietnamese staple’s light but perfectly salty broth, tender slices of flank beef, and crisp bean sprouts and cilantro, along with a generous squeeze of lime and sriracha, does wonders to perk me up from a bad hangover—or a cold, a flu or really any ailment.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
Carmen Arroyo, Bloomberg, 26 Apr. 2026
These were the perks of working for a multinational corporation.
—Saïd Sayrafiezadeh, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for perk
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Verb
Maximize your miles with Hoka membership perks This is a fun benefit for runners, walkers, and hikers—members can earn rewards and badges through the Hoka Membership program for completing challenges like the Speedgoat 7 Vert (log 7,000 feet of elevation to complete it).
—Madison Flager, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Apr. 2026
The Vietnamese staple’s light but perfectly salty broth, tender slices of flank beef, and crisp bean sprouts and cilantro, along with a generous squeeze of lime and sriracha, does wonders to perk me up from a bad hangover—or a cold, a flu or really any ailment.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
Noun
Early users testing the service have touted competitive perks, including 3% cash back on eligible purchases and a 6% interest rate on cash savings — the latter of which is roughly 15 times the national average.
—Carmen Arroyo, Bloomberg, 26 Apr. 2026
These were the perks of working for a multinational corporation.
—Saïd Sayrafiezadeh, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for perk
Cite this Entry
“Perk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perk. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
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