1
as in brightening
to become glad or hopeful
we perked up once the sun came out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lifting
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 perking (up)
Verb
-
Sitake says the most rewarding team meetings are discussions around the smallest of gestures, brightening the days of others.—
Christopher Kamrani,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025 -
Writers need time to get to know their stars’ strengths, even if those stars have been brightening our screens for decades.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Washington — The Federal Reserve is doing a difficult balancing act, trying to tamp down inflation while lifting up the job market, Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
14 Oct. 2025
-
We are truly blessed to be surrounded by such a beautiful community lifting us in love and commitment.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
And that means things are looking up for Mia.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
15 Oct. 2025
-
But things have been looking up.—
Kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Arctic seals rely on sea ice for breeding and raising their pups, as well as for moulting, resting and accessing foraging areas.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
18 Oct. 2025
-
So far Pakistan’s diplomatic game is raising cheers back home.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
And the extreme pressure and friction of the move compresses the air molecules in front of Starship, creating a glowing plasma that is the signature of the stretch of flight known as reentry.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Each of these creatures of light multiplied into subqueries and side queries, a glowing menagerie of exotic life-forms crisscrossing the void, their wakes and ripples gradually illuminating the entirety of the submarine cave.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Pair it with jeans, dress, midi skirts—pretty much anything, really—for an instantly polished look that adds an extra layer of warmth without taking up precious space in your luggage.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Oct. 2025
-
The teacher opted to try taking up the carpet herself on the last day of school, but later submitted a work order after the job turned out to be too difficult to complete herself, the letter reads.—
JENNAH PENDLETON,
Sacbee.com,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
He has also been tasked with elevating a passing game that has frequently been without its top two receivers, Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy.—
Jacob Camenker,
USA Today,
12 Oct. 2025
-
As Loewe nose Nuria Cruelles tells it, this collection is about putting a modern, contemporary spin on classic ingredients—iris, vanilla, and oud—by elevating them in unique, unexpected way.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
12 Oct. 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
“Perking (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perking%20%28up%29. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share