1
as in to brighten
to become glad or hopeful
we perked up once the sun came out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to lift
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 perk (up)
Verb
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Creative expression takes the spotlight as the Full Moon brightens your 5th House of Play, encouraging you to share a joke or finish a sketch.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026 -
July 23 – August 22 Your words can truly brighten someone’s day.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Severino struggled with his control, walking five and throwing just 49 of his 91 pitches for strikes before he was lifted after 3 1/3 innings.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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Trump has also made statements that lifted markets, only to see the gains quickly disappear after increasing his military threats.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The school also received a Rotary Club grant, and its PTA also raised a significant amount of money.—
Molly McCrea,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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But the arc — first raising expectations for a big reveal, then declaring there was nothing to see, and ultimately a forced, flawed document dump — was a stubbornly problematic storyline that ran through her time as attorney general.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Acclaimed director, producer and screenwriter Spike Lee hit the red carpet carrying a handbag designed by Detroit native Runyaro Richardson, a moment that quickly elevated her brand on a global stage.—
Lauren Winfrey,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Does Herb Sendek have it in him to elevate the Broncos to the top consistently in a depleted conference?—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Perk (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perk%20%28up%29. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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