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
  • Though it's already packed with energizing caffeine and circulation-boosting ginseng, the formula takes the brightening powers up a notch with light-reflecting particles that could pass for a full eight hours of sleep.
    — Madison San Miguel, Allure, 1 Oct. 2026
  • That’s why this skin tint, which has hydrating squalane along with brightening vitamin C and SPF for sun protection made my list.
    — Jacqueline Tempera, InStyle, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of brightening
Verb
  • Higher oil prices have largely offset lower export volumes, lifting revenue above prewar estimates, but spending is set to rise faster.
    — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • In May 2020, a Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying three astronauts reached the orbiting lab just 3 hours and 3 minutes after lifting off from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of lifting
Verb
  • Loverro believes the announcement wasn’t much more than an acknowledgment of what people could already see for themselves by looking up.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Let the Academy members pet it, and the movie’s flagging Oscar fortunes may be looking up again.
    — Joe Reid, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of looking up
Verb
  • The Ratepayer Protection Act, meant to prevent data centers from raising electricity prices, enjoyed sweeping support in the House from all but three Democrats while all but four of their colleagues in the Senate opposed it.
    — Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026
  • While encouraging and raising the odds of the Fed holding borrowing costs steady at its October meeting, the level of market rates has become quite competitive with stocks — not to mention, elevated inflation still eats away at returns.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of raising
Verb
  • The Starship rocket just blared back into the atmosphere, glowing bright with plasma as the vehicle shed most of its speed as the energy was converted to heat.
    — Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Silk twill introduced a shiny counterpoint in flowy frocks and separates, with their hues spanning from blush to charming mint green and emerald contributing to their glowing appeal.
    — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of glowing
Verb
  • That’s why the Jmdhkk Hidden Camera Detector may be a good investment to provide a level of safety to your stay without taking up excess space in your suitcase or being difficult to use.
    — Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Some are banning their kids from taking up football; others defend it for building bonds and teaching life skills.
    — Alexandra Pattillo, Scientific American, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of taking up
Verb
  • The golf course would be ripped up and rebuilt, including elevating the playing area by several feet to protect against surge flooding.
    — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Seeking new crypto money, Christie’s and Sotheby’s cut all other legitimizing actors out of the loop with NFTs, elevating what might previously have been categorized as illustration, graphic art, or a social media meme to the status of fine art.
    — Simon Denny, Artforum, 1 Oct. 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 4 Oct. 2026.

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