1
as in brightens
to become glad or hopeful
we perked up once the sun came out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lifts
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 perks (up)
Verb
-
The rich brown shade imparts barely-noticeable color that subtly brightens my gaze, while lifting and separating each lash with just a few swipes.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
3 Feb. 2026 -
Toasted pecans add a satisfying crunch against the soft, pillowy rolls, and the tangy cream cheese icing brightens every bite.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Additionally, these leggings act as shapewear, featuring a contoured power waistband that provides core compression, lifts the backside, and provides an overall smoothing effect.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Saturn leaving Pisces on February 13 lifts the heavy blanket of sorrow and exhaustion that’s been dampening your life force for the last three years, freeing you to unthaw a bit from the winter of your discontent.—
Steph Koyfman,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The extraordinary overture, disclosed by Maxwell’s lawyer during her virtual deposition before the House Oversight Committee, raises further questions about accountability and transparency.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Grassley said the Arctic Frost timeline, starting with the FBI under Thibault in 2022 and expanding under Smith, raises questions about how aggressively federal investigators pursued Republican lawmakers and organizations while shielding the process from oversight.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Eileen Gu and Mathilde Gremaud look streets ahead of the rest of the field, but the bronze medal looks up for grabs for whoever holds their nerve.—
Isabel Yip,
NBC news,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Cumberland Gap Where Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia meet, Cumberland Gap sits in a valley that looks up at the famous gap in the Cumberland Mountain range from which the town gets its name.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
At the Fenix museum in Rotterdam, Netherlands, which focuses on migration, chef Maksut Askar elevates Turkish street food such as mantı (dumplings) and mücver (zucchini fritters) at O Anatolian Café.—
Michelle Tchea,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Seasonal menus keep every visit fresh, while the ambiance — elegant, warm and steeped in character — elevates even simple moments.—
Susan Stapleton,
Des Moines Register,
6 Feb. 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
“Perks (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perks%20%28up%29. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
