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
Relevance
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
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
-
Her mother, Lianna Charles Moore, previously described her daughters as always laughing, smiling and brightening her family's day.—
Christina Fan,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Lush, vibrant and full of life, California Tropicals instantly brightens any space while adding fresh, feel-good energy.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
To manage that reality, Manning encourages newer teachers to establish boundaries early and stick to them.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
-
On Tuesday, the New York Islanders showed a message on the video board at their Long Island arena encouraging hockey fans to donate to Duran’s legal defense fund.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But things are looking up for the silver and black, as Spytek used the team’s vast free agent cap room to sign the likes of center Tyler Linderbaum, linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker, and wide receiver Jalen Nailor, among others.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Jesper Wallstedt let in a goal on a power play against the Minnesota Wild in the first period, looked up at the scoreboard to quickly analyze the replay, and realized something wasn't right.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At 23 years old, Cameron Weitzel has turned his passion into a business and is using his voice to inspire others.—
Conor McGill,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Meanwhile, the olive green tile in the guest bathroom was painted with a custom motif inspired by grasses found at the bottom of the lake—another way to give the house a sense of its surroundings.—
Hannah Martin,
Architectural Digest,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Vacation bottled up the cult-favorite scent of their body SPF into a best-selling airy eau de toilette—and best-selling isn’t an understatement, with 38K glowing Amazon reviews.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Sharon Stone glows in a white pantsuit and sunglasses for the premiere of Magnolia's Normal in Los Angeles on April 15.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
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
-
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
-
The Obama Administration revived the concept in 2014 by opening family-detention camps, including Dilley, to deal with an influx of asylum seekers from Central America.—
Sarah Stillman,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Shoppers who grew up on disposable fast fashion are enlisting tailors and seamstresses to give off-the-rack purchases a custom fit or personal flair, to revive secondhand finds or to extend the lives of their wardrobes, according to fashion industry experts.—
Anne D'Innocenzio,
Boston Herald,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buck up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buck%20up. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
