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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
  • Crepe Control® Tightening Body Cream is a transforming treatment packed with peptides plus lifting and brightening agents to visibly tighten and even skin tone.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • From low pH water toners to milkier formulas packed with brightening ingredients like rice extract—consider these picks as formulas that set the canvas for a supple complexion.
    — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of brightening
Verb
  • Min Aung Hlaing also asked that Washington consider lifting and easing economic sanctions on Myanmar.
    — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Either method helps melt concealer into the skin without disturbing your base or lifting flaky patches.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of lifting
Verb
  • Here’s a look at the 10 schools looking up at the rest, according to our findings.
    — David Ubben, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The main room in the second floor has 11-foot-four-inch ceilings, with a cutout looking up into the third floor.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of looking up
Verb
  • For now, at least, the burden of care continues to fall on the sandwich generation -- middle-aged adults who are raising children and supporting aging parents at the same time.
    — HUIYEE CHIEW AND LYRIC LI THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Fundraising for Hunger Busters continued Despite the lack of food deliveries, Phillips kept raising money for Hunger Busters.
    — Kelsy Mittauer, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of raising
Verb
  • This is the best-selling matching set on Amazon and has thousands of glowing reviews to back it up.
    — Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The glowing response took critics, who had seen the film earlier in the day, by surprise.
    — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of glowing
Verb
  • While most voters tell us their biggest concern is affordability, a new issue has entered the chat, taking up an outsized amount of space on the campaign trail, on the airwaves, and in party war rooms.
    — S.E. Cupp, New York Daily News, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Yet Texhibition Istanbul itself has been holding steady, taking up five halls while other exhibitions around the world were shrinking.
    — Mayu Saini, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of taking up
Verb
  • Silver gems tracing the perimeter of each nail add a touch of shine, instantly elevating the otherwise basic look.
    — Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Miami could address that deficiency by elevating Mazi Smith, a former first-round pick, or Jordan Miller up from the practice squad.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 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 21 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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