1
as in to brighten
to become glad or hopeful
buck up, kids, it's not so bad as you're making it out to be
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to encourage
to fill with courage or strength of purpose
a surprise presidential visit to buck up the troops
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of buck up
Read Bolton’s reporting: ‘Democrats dig in for shutdown to buck up demoralized voters’
Bibi at the White House:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is back at the White House today, meeting with President Trump.
—
Cate Martel, The Hill, 29 Sep. 2025
Defense gonna have to buck up yet again.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
And then, over the course of the six episodes, Julie does encourage him to buck up at a little bit.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 25 July 2025
The outlook Going forward, will Brightline generate enough revenue to buck up its reserves and make a profit over the long term?
—David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for buck up
Cate Martel, The Hill, 29 Sep. 2025
Defense gonna have to buck up yet again.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
And then, over the course of the six episodes, Julie does encourage him to buck up at a little bit.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 25 July 2025
The outlook Going forward, will Brightline generate enough revenue to buck up its reserves and make a profit over the long term?
—David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for buck up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buck up
Verb
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According to a new study that analyzed a combination of satellite images, artificial nighttime lights have brightened Earth by 16% between 2014 and 2022.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
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But Greek yogurt, crisp radishes, and fresh lemon juice brighten up the classic.—
Ginger Crichton,
Midwest Living,
5 May 2026
Verb
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Lawyer Steve Oshins told Inside Wealth that QSBS laws and other tax proposals aimed at the wealthy encourage high earners to move to other states.—
Hayley Cuccinello,
CNBC,
8 May 2026
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This easy London broil recipe relies on a savory marinade with a small amount of baking soda to help tenderize the meat and encourage browning.—
Zaynab Issa,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Shoemaker looked up at the ceiling.—
Jason Kane,
NBC news,
6 May 2026
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Find your legislative district on the Idaho Legislature’s website, and look up your polling place at VoteIdaho.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
6 May 2026
Verb
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That feeling of being seen and understood stayed with her, ultimately inspiring Henson to commit to a career as a nurse and to offer the same reassurance to her own patients.—
Nancy Badertscher,
AJC.com,
7 May 2026
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Kaneda’s core concept that Japan should focus more on quality than overwhelming force would inspire the Yamato and Mushashi in the 1930s.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
Verb
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However, in the wild, the algae are the ocean’s introverts, and only glow when they are bothered, like jolted by a crashing wave or the hull of a passing boat.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
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There’s an amulet (one of those glowing doohickeys the fate of the cosmos hangs on), and your heart may sink every time someone starts chattering about it.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
6 May 2026
Verb
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It can also be used as a bench, bearing up to 355 pounds.—
Caitlyn Martyn
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
11 Aug. 2025
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Harriet remembered there was something: inexpressibly affecting in the aspect of the frail little creature who had done such wonderful things, and who was able to bear up, with so bright an eye and so composed a countenance, under not only such a weight of sorrow, but such a prospect of solitude.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Because this decision has revived the debate within the Democratic Party about potentially adding more seats to the Supreme Court.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
10 May 2026
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Tom Bradley, who was elected mayor of Los Angeles in the nineteen-seventies and went on to serve five terms, made reviving the streetcar (and a subway to the sea) a cornerstone of his platform.—
Oren Peleg,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buck up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buck%20up. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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