1
as in to brighten
to become glad or hopeful
we perked up once the sun came out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to lift
to move from a lower to a higher place or position
the dog tilts her head and perks up her ears whenever someone speaks to her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perk (up)
Verb
-
There’s much, much more to the culture, of course, and there are positive and negative associations with ultras around Germany and beyond, but this was another occasion brightened by their work.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
2 Sep. 2025 -
Each of them offers money and position but nothing much in the way of pleasure, excitement, intellectual stimulation, or the prospect of anything other than a life of loveless, socially irreproachable tedium possibly brightened by the occasional extramarital affair.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Pro Just like the original Roborock Qrevo Curv that debuted at last year’s IFA, the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Pro has wheels that can lift the robot's chassis high enough to clear obstacles and thresholds.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
6 Sep. 2025
-
The commercial arm has helped the players union become one of the most in-demand player collectives in sports, with merchandise sales projected to lift 115% this year (year-over-year).—
Eric Jackson,
Sportico.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The deal, brokered after a standoff between state and county officials resulting from a disagreement over whether to raise assessments this year, means homeowners will see a nearly 7% increase above their 2024 property valuation.—
Madeline King,
Kansas City Star,
7 Sep. 2025
-
The Bundy family said information about the object removed from Ryan Bundy’s arm could raise more questions in the incident.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Worthy’s role was elevated last year because of an injury to wide receiver Rashee Rice.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
-
To elevate the roadhouse into a top-tier venue, Dalton confronts meddling patrons with a cutthroat, no-nonsense policy.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
6 Sep. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Perk (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perk%20%28up%29. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share