perking (up)

verb

present participle of perk (up)
1
as in brightening
to become glad or hopeful we perked up once the sun came out

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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)
  1. brightening
  2. lifting
  3. looking up
  4. raising
  5. glowing
  6. taking up
  7. elevating
Verb
  • Made with a peptide complex and vitamin E, the patches reduce lines and wrinkles while plumping and brightening your skin.
    — Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 25 July 2026
  • Additionally, loose powder was favored since a heavier hand is required for a long-wear, sweat-proof look, often in a brightening pink hue for the under-eyes such as best-selling options from Rare Beauty and Givenchy.
    — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 19 July 2026
Definition of brightening
Verb
  • Fresh from lifting the FIFA Club World Cup and buoyed by optimism around Enzo Maresca’s project, the Blues stumbled to a disappointing 10th-place Premier League finish.
    — Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 31 July 2026
  • Rising domestic yields are unnerving investors, while currency weakness is lifting dollar‑denominated debt‑servicing costs in real time.
    — William Pesek, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of lifting
Verb
  • Keegan would be appointed in September 1997 as chief operating officer, with Fulham a mid-table side in the old Second Division, looking up at Northampton Town and Bristol Rovers.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Prince Harry is back on American soil, and things are looking up.
    — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 17 July 2026
Definition of looking up
Verb
  • His abrupt decision to abandon plans to sell a stake in FIFA’s commercial rights to private equity marks a rare and significant political defeat, exposing the limits of his authority and raising new questions about his future leadership.
    — Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Factory managers were often on the defensive, since raising vision problems could sound like a critique of their management.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 31 July 2026
Definition of raising
Verb
  • One Friday post, for example, shows footage from Super Heavy of Ship cruising away shortly after stage separation, its six Raptors glowing with exertion against the backdrop of a gorgeously blue Earth.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 27 July 2026
  • Perhaps that’s the biggest compliment for UCLA, going from being ignored or laughed at to taking a few jabs over your glowing reviews.
    — Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of glowing
Verb
  • Indeed, so much so that there are suggestions that the people from better-off backgrounds are taking up many of the limited number of places.
    — Roger Trapp, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • Gen Z is taking up analog hobbies, ditching dating apps and spending real time at the mall again.
    — Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 24 July 2026
Definition of taking up
Verb
  • Pinnock, in particular, is at his best here, showcasing a diabolical cruelty and terrifying manipulation, elevating the story and the show to a different level.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 31 July 2026
  • As a longtime hub for free arts education and festivals, the campus redesign seeks to better serve Watts residents and visitors while elevating the towers as a defining symbol of Los Angeles.
    — Jane Horowitz, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
Definition of elevating
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.

Browse Nearby Words

perkiness
perking (up)
perks
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Perking (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perking%20%28up%29. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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