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
-
The key window is April 10-20, when the comet is brightening but not yet too deeply embedded in the sun's glare.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
10 Apr. 2026 -
Ferulic acid boosts that brightening trio, while niacinamide and tangerine peel extract help even things out over time.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That season ended with Dustin Brown lifting the Stanley Cup.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Here’s a breakdown of the Avs’ first-round series with the Kings, who have not won a playoff round since lifting the Stanley Cup in 2014.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As someone who loves the outdoors, a lot of my time is spent looking up at soaring birds and unique cloud formations — and even watching the sky for signs of weather shifts that might scuttle my hiking plans.—
Maura Fox,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The duo were in attendance for Justin Bieber’s April 11 headlining set, with Perry posting a video on social media in real time with her reaction to Bieber looking up YouTube videos on stage and singing along to them.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The incident was captured on camera by a freelance news videographer and appeared to show Evans acting calm and raising his hands in the air when an officer fired a bean bag round that struck him in the stomach, dropping him to the ground.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
-
While much of the world’s economy has shown resilience in the face of the worst disruption to energy supplies in modern times, the knock-on effects of the conflict are starting to push up inflation while raising alarm bells about food supplies and prompting downgrades to economic growth.—
Sean Nevin,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
José Bastón and Eva Longoria are glowing in their sequins and smiles at LACMA's Opening Gala for The David Geffen Galleries in Los Angeles on April 16.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
-
After mounting the Bioluminator to their amphibious aircraft, Cora and Jasper follow the glowing bioluminescent trail from the Wildwood Tree to the Secret Lake in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Bishop famously pivoted from studying physics at the University of Chicago on a scholarship to taking up the blues and joining the Paul Butterfield Blues Band.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Other examples can be seen in the deliberate way Flick sprung to Raphinha’s defence back in December, taking up the topic of the Brazilian’s lack of individual recognition despite not having been asked about it.—
Laia Cervelló Herrero,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Several potential reforms could address this vulnerability, including allowing write-in candidates in general elections, automatically elevating the third-place primary vote-getter when a primary winner withdraws, or abandoning the top-two system entirely to restore party-nominating primaries.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The new collection is rooted in elevating everyday pieces that overlap with Beckham’s aesthetic and Gap’s most popular styles.—
Kristen Bateman,
Vogue,
20 Apr. 2026
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 25 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
