perk

1 of 3

verb (1)

perked; perking; perks

intransitive verb

1
a
: to thrust up the head, stretch out the neck, or carry the body in a bold or insolent manner
b
: to stick up or out jauntily
2
: to gain in vigor or cheerfulness especially after a period of weakness or depression
usually used with up
he's perked up noticeably

transitive verb

1
: to make smart or spruce in appearance : freshen, improve
often used with up
2
: to thrust up quickly or impudently

perk

2 of 3

verb (2)

perked; perking; perks

perk

3 of 3

noun

: perquisite
usually used in plural

Examples of perk in a Sentence

Verb (1) we perked up once the sun came out the dog tilts her head and perks up her ears whenever someone speaks to her Noun the salary's not great, but the perks make up for it
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Kids will be able to help Goofy man the grill, distract Pluto with a game of fetch, and sing to vegetable plants to perk them up. Sari Hitchins, Parents, 12 Feb. 2025 After a decade, my body reacts in a Pavlovian way to its stimuli, the scroll of torsos, the dopamine of a red dot notification, a three-toned beep that perks you up in your chair. Mathew Rodriguez, Them, 11 Feb. 2025
Noun
Whatever controversies swirl around her currently, incumbency has its perks. David Mark, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Feb. 2025 Skype launched in 2003 in Estonia and quickly caught on as a way to make free calls worldwide, a notable perk considering international calling on traditional phones used to be expensive. Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for perk

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English

First Known Use

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Verb (2)

1922, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1824, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of perk was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Perk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perk. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

perk

verb
ˈpərk
1
: to lift quickly or alertly
the dog perked up its ears
2
: to make fresher in appearance
new paint perked up the room
3
: to become more lively or cheerful
usually used with up
we perked up at the good news

More from Merriam-Webster on perk

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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