buck up

verb

Definition of buck upnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of buck up Signal flares shot into the social media sky are meant to jumpstart conversations with coaches needing to plug holes or buck up slouching fan bases. — Brian Davis, Houston Chronicle, 2 Jan. 2026 While waiting for help, stay bucked up inside your vehicle. — Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 15 Oct. 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 See All Example Sentences for buck up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buck up
  1. brighten
  2. encourage
  3. look up
  4. inspire
  5. glow
  6. bear up
  7. revive
Verb
  • Strawberry, orange, peach and passion fruit flavors brighten this West Coast IPA.
    — Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 21 July 2026
  • In this cocktail from Nguyen, Japanese rice vinegar’s gentle acidity brightens the drink without overpowering the other ingredients.
    — Jillian Dara, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of brighten
Verb
  • The fish were illegally introduced in the 1970s, so the agency encourages anglers to pursue the game fish and keep their catches.
    — Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 23 July 2026
  • The tradition, known as lördagsgodis, began in the 1950s by Swedish health officials to encourage limiting candy-eating to once a week and prevent cavities.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2026
Definition of encourage
Verb
  • Expect the pressure to continue, even as revenue predictions look up.
    — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 24 July 2026
  • Those who don’t want to wait until then can check if their Bronco is affected on the NHTSA’s dedicated recall website, which allows drivers to look up their vehicle using its license plate or VIN number.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 24 July 2026
Definition of look up
Verb
  • Fans were inspired, and more big-name players followed, including Peter Beardsley, Keegan’s former Newcastle team-mate.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Wolverine works for Team X, a black-ops group (inspired by the team from the comics) fighting for mutant survival.
    — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 22 July 2026
Definition of inspire
Verb
  • No blood was visible, but one area glowed after being sprayed with Bluestar.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2026
  • At the extreme end, weak edtech can reduce teachers to classroom monitors, passively watching students complete tasks on their glowing rectangles.
    — Richard Carranza, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of glow
Verb
  • 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
  • In 1970, the average Chinese woman was expected to bear up to six children throughout her lifetime.
    — Micah McCartney, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
Definition of bear up
Verb
  • Before the latest strikes, Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni visited Pakistan, a key mediator in the conflict, seeking to revive diplomacy.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026
  • Because the government requested dismissal without prejudice, the plaintiffs could seek to revive their claims after Rodríguez leaves office.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
Definition of revive

Browse Nearby Words

bucks up
buck up
bucolic
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Cite this Entry

“Buck up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buck%20up. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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