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
Relevance
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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Creative play brightens, and feelings gently soften as the Moon leaps into your 5th House of Affection.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Jan. 2026 -
Seeking a vitamin C that brightens without irritation?—
Jackie Fields,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Pruning perennials at the right time encourages plants to leaf out, grow bushier, develop sturdier stems, and potentially produce more flowers.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Jan. 2026
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Loudermilk says this is just one of the many ways Lions Clubs work to support their communities and encourages anyone interested in joining to reach out.—
Jessica Riley,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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The old, wrinkled one looks up at Helm’s mountain, at the sky above its summit.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
9 Jan. 2026
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The sales pitch rhetoric inspires few.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Jan. 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 15 Jan. 2026.
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