1
as in brightens
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 encourages
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bucks up
Verb
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The colorful evergreen foliage provides a warm winter welcome in porch planters and brightens patios all year long.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
22 Feb. 2026 -
Notes like vanilla, coffee, chocolate, and peppermint keep luring me in, veiling me in a cake-like cloud that brightens my mood on even the gloomiest 20-degree days.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Paramount’s pressure campaign had been relentless, first winning over theater owners, who expressed alarm over Netflix’s business model that encourages consumers to watch movies in their homes.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2026
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The former vice president encourages voters to cast an early ballot Friday or vote in person on election day.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Eileen Gu and Mathilde Gremaud look streets ahead of the rest of the field, but the bronze medal looks up for grabs for whoever holds their nerve.—
Isabel Yip,
NBC news,
9 Feb. 2026
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Cumberland Gap Where Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia meet, Cumberland Gap sits in a valley that looks up at the famous gap in the Cumberland Mountain range from which the town gets its name.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
24 Feb. 2026
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Richard’s commitment to empowering the next generation reflects the heart of our mission — and inspires the entire FIT community.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
24 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Bucks up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bucks%20up. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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