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
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Ingredient call-outs include niacinamide, which has brightening and smoothing properties, and calming squalane.—
Kaitlin Clapinski,
InStyle,
11 Jan. 2026 -
If your grout isn't horrendous with dirt or stains, this might be a great cleaner for brightening the lines.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In 2024, in first (partial) year in his new no-heavy-lifting sinecure, Lowy pocketed $351,050.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
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With the shot clock running down, Lopez swung the ball back to the other side, with Sanders waiting to retrieve it after lifting from the corner.—
Law Murray,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Imagine making a catch on the sideline, getting tackled and looking up at Ed Reed staring back at you.—
David Ubben,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Suddenly, the Dolphins aren’t just looking up at Buffalo and Josh Allen for the next decade.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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At the same time, venture capital money poured into AI startups with many raising funds at high valuations and little product.—
Arjun Kharpal,
CNBC,
16 Jan. 2026
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Type One is also in the midst of raising a $250 million Series B at a $900 million pre-money valuation, according to sources and later confirmed by the company.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Glow-in-the-dark outsoles represent glowing engine headers, and the shoe’s color-shifting eggplant purple upper takes a page from custom car wraps.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
7 Jan. 2026
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On Monday, the actress uploaded a new selfie showing off her glowing complexion.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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With thoughtful compartments that keep everything organized without taking up much space, this travel accessory is one Shortsleeve never leaves behind.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Jan. 2026
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A week after a 550-pound bear was evicted from under an Altadena home, another Altadena resident about a mile away reported a bear taking up residency under that home’s floorboards.—
Andrea Flores,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Below, shop more pointed-toe heels (and a few flats) inspired by her outfit-elevating shoe.—
Kaelin Dodge,
InStyle,
13 Jan. 2026
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In her three years as president of Santiago Canyon College, Jeannie Kim has taken the lead on a series of initiatives, with the goal of elevating the status of SCC from simply another community college to becoming a preferred choice for prospective students.—
Lou Ponsi,
Oc Register,
12 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Perking (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perking%20%28up%29. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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