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
-
After predictably dimming for multiple months, the stellar explosion inexplicably began brightening again.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
14 Aug. 2025 -
Only the edges of the sand dunes, and the sky just above them, were beginning to brighten.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Fauna, meanwhile, might be lifted from the wood-block prints of Watanabe Seitei.—
Thessaly La Force,
Architectural Digest,
15 Aug. 2025
-
The easiest way to determine root rot problems is to gently lift the entire plant, roots and all, free from its container, and inspect the roots.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Utility officials opened a dam and released 4 billion gallons of water to raise the river's level.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
8 Aug. 2025
-
Indiana Democrats are using Vice President J.D. Vance's visit to raise money ahead of a potential redistricting fight.—
Tony Cook,
IndyStar,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The opportunity is real, but execution risk is elevated as competition intensifies across core markets.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
-
Using quality rum and real sugar elevates the experience.—
Aly Walansky,
Southern Living,
18 Aug. 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 22 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share