1
as in to brighten
to become glad or hopeful
buck up, kids, it's not so bad as you're making it out to be
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to encourage
to fill with courage or strength of purpose
a surprise presidential visit to buck up the troops
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of buck up
Read Bolton’s reporting: ‘Democrats dig in for shutdown to buck up demoralized voters’
Bibi at the White House:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is back at the White House today, meeting with President Trump.
—
Cate Martel, The Hill, 29 Sep. 2025
Defense gonna have to buck up yet again.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
And then, over the course of the six episodes, Julie does encourage him to buck up at a little bit.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 25 July 2025
The outlook Going forward, will Brightline generate enough revenue to buck up its reserves and make a profit over the long term?
—David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for buck up
Cate Martel, The Hill, 29 Sep. 2025
Defense gonna have to buck up yet again.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
And then, over the course of the six episodes, Julie does encourage him to buck up at a little bit.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 25 July 2025
The outlook Going forward, will Brightline generate enough revenue to buck up its reserves and make a profit over the long term?
—David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for buck up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buck up
Verb
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For instance, researchers found that rapid urbanization and electrification across Asia drove brightening in cities from China to India to Sub-Saharan Africa.—
Bree Shirvell,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
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Just a little acid went a long way in brightening up all the flavors and cutting through the richness of the sauce.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Responding to comments, asking for feedback, and giving shout-outs to active viewers fosters a sense of community and encourages continued engagement.—
Adam Rumanek,
Rolling Stone,
15 May 2026
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Techniques such as reinforcement learning from human feedback encourage the model toward preferred responses.—
Sandeep Shilawat,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Instead of down and out, look up, and the sky’s the limit.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 May 2026
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Where to Go for Dark Sky Tourism A handful of destinations have built reputations as the world’s best places to look up.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
Verb
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While Kendrick Lamar was conquering the hip-hop world, Rashad was honing an introspective style inspired by Southern hip-hop pioneers like Lil Wayne and OutKast.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
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And, if bright white pants aren’t your thing, keep reading for off-white styles inspired by Martha Stewart and Joanna Gaines.—
Rylee Johnston,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Tabakis lightly strums and plucks over a glowing drone and chattering birds, offering an ecumenical introduction, a smiling welcome.—
Grayson Haver Currin,
Pitchfork,
14 May 2026
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The area is tucked against the San Gabriel Mountains, which glow the color of warm terra cotta at sunset.—
Aarne Heikkila,
NBC news,
14 May 2026
Verb
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It can also be used as a bench, bearing up to 355 pounds.—
Caitlyn Martyn
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
11 Aug. 2025
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Harriet remembered there was something: inexpressibly affecting in the aspect of the frail little creature who had done such wonderful things, and who was able to bear up, with so bright an eye and so composed a countenance, under not only such a weight of sorrow, but such a prospect of solitude.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Strong starred in the production of the Arthur Miller play as it was revived in London and later on Broadway.—
Lexi Lane,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
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Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is seen boosting government spending as part of her efforts to revive growth and offset the oil shock, adding to inflationary trends.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buck up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buck%20up. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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