pep

1 of 3

noun

ˈpep 

: brisk energy or initiative and high spirits

pep

2 of 3

verb

pepped; pepping

transitive verb

: to inject pep into

pep him up

PEP

3 of 3

abbreviation

post-exposure prophylaxis

Treatments like post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), which is most effective within 72 hours of possible exposure to HIV, can help prevent its spread and save lives. … However, access is limited, and time is of the essence.

—Alexis Calatayud et al.

Synonyms

Noun

• beans
• bounce
• brio
• dash
• drive
• dynamism
• energy
• esprit
• gas
• get-up-and-go
• ginger
• go
• gusto
• hardihood
• juice
• life
• moxie
• oomph
• punch
• sap
• snap
• starch
• verve
• vigor
• vim
• vinegar
• vitality
• zing
• zip

Verb

• amp (up)
• animate
• brace
• energize
• enliven
• fillip
• fire
• ginger (up)
• invigorate
• jazz (up)
• juice up
• jump-start
• liven (up)
• quicken
• spike
• stimulate
• vitalize
• vivify
• zip (up)

Examples of pep in a Sentence

Noun

The young teacher was full of pep.

the students always display considerably more pep during the weeks immediately prior to the holidays

Verb

the music at the party pepped everyone up

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Made of double-walled glass, here’s a perfectly perky pick for anyone looking to add a little more pep to their morning. —Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 1 Nov. 2024

Vinegar is one of the most versatile products in the pantry with uses that range from adding pep to coleslaw and barbecue sauce to protecting houseplants and polishing silver. —Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 28 Oct. 2024

Verb

There’s something calming and refreshing about spritzing a fine, barely-there mist with a breath of delicious scent that feels incredible, especially in the spring and summer when temperatures are hotter, and the sun is stronger or after a long flight to pep me up before day one of a trip. —Ali Faccenda, Travel + Leisure, 9 June 2023

And will baseball purists like me, stubborn in our ways, embrace the rule changes that Epstein and baseball’s poobahs are installing to pep up the game for a new generation? —David Axelrod, CNN, 1 Apr. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

short for pepper

First Known Use

Noun

1908, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1912, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing pep

• pep pill
• pep rally
• pep talk
• pep up

Kids Definition

pep

1 of 2 noun

ˈpep 

: brisk energy : liveliness

peppiness

-ē-nəs

noun

peppy

-ē

adjective

pep

2 of 2 verb

pepped; pepping

: to put pep into : stimulate

let's try to pep things up

Medical Definition

PEP

abbreviation

1

phosphoenolpyruvate

2

post-exposure prophylaxis

Although fatal if untreated, human rabies can be prevented through post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), which involves a course of vaccination and immunoglobulin administered immediately after exposure.

—Eunha Shim et al., Vaccine