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
-
Defending champion Argentina’s quality is stronger since lifting the trophy in Qatar.—
Eduard Cauich,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
-
While the Blues entered the 2025/26 campaign with high hopes after lifting the Club World Cup, the team failed to live up to expectations, floundering in the Premier League and going through three different managers in the space of only a few months.—
Graham Ruthven,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
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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And for curls and coils, Carol’s Daughter has earned more than 12,000 glowing reviews—often in rotation in Vogue’s Kiana Murden’s regimen.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
8 June 2026
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On a recent night in Havana, as another blackout darkened much of the city, taxi driver Leonardo Daniel González steered a friend’s glowing purple 1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster through the darkness.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
Verb
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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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The elastic-waist pants and Dolman-sleeve tee make for a true loungewear cut, but adding a designer-caliber shoulder bag and sleek sandals is the secret to instantly elevating the look for out-of-the-house activities.—
Olivia Cigliano,
InStyle,
6 June 2026
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For the occasion, Holmes stuck to her usual relaxed street style, elevating the look with Chanel’s cap-toe pumps.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
5 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 14 Jun. 2026.
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