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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Venus conjoins Jupiter in Cancer, brightening your 3rd House of Communication with warmth, sincerity, and useful connection.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
9 June 2026 -
These mophead hydrangeas bloom in either neon purple or raspberry red—perfect for brightening up the yard in a flash.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Video taken by a member of the audience shows Swift rising from her seat and lifting her arms high above her head to give an enthusiastic standing ovation during the curtain call.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
14 June 2026
-
The first touched down in Lady Lake, lifting roofs off homes and overturning mobile homes.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Company executives demonstrated using the virtual assistant for various everyday tasks, such as looking up the date of a concert, shopping for a backpack or planning a soccer watch party.—
David Ingram,
NBC news,
8 June 2026
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Former Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty may not have enjoyed the success he’s been used to in his first season with the Las Vegas Raiders, but things may be looking up for the former Bronco in 2026.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
7 June 2026
Verb
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So, climbing one rung higher and losing to a different team will lead to raising the Cup?—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
11 June 2026
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Elon Musk's mega-conglomerate SpaceX made history on Thursday, raising $75 billion in the biggest initial public offering on record.—
John Ruwitch,
NPR,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Cellphone footage shows two glowing red orbs floating across the sky.—
Collin Binkley,
Fortune,
15 June 2026
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Speaking about the division race during the teams series this week, New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns offered a glowing assessment of the rival club that has become one of the National League’s toughest opponents.—
Peter Chawaga,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
Some states are taking up the issue.—
Gretchen Morgenson,
NBC news,
10 June 2026
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Glasner’s two main assistant coaches, Michael Angerschmid and Ronald Brunmayr, had long since been responsible for set pieces but, earlier this year, that responsibility was shifted to Paddy McCarthy with greater success, resulting in the Irishman taking up the duties full time.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
Verb
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As the restaurant evolved — eventually elevating its experience and moving downtown — so did its beverage program.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
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Hot temperatures and wind gusts are elevating wildfire risks in parts of Southwest Idaho and the south-central part of the state, according to the National Weather Service.—
Don Sweeney,
Idaho Statesman,
15 June 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 16 Jun. 2026.
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