1
as in brightened
to become glad or hopeful
we perked up once the sun came out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lifted
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 perked (up)
Verb
-
But even during the dreariest days of March, our beauty and wellness rituals brightened up our routines.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
1 Apr. 2026 -
The victory brightened Mathews’ mood.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Teammates encouraged her and one even lifted her chin, but the damage was done.—
David Brandt,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Minutes later, Malenstyn got to the front and lifted home a rebound.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Stephen Curry swished a 3-pointer on his second shot from deep and raised his arms in delight when the ball went through.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
My father had lived an extraordinary life as a young Black man born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama, during the 1940s.—
Shayla Martin,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Victor looked up, scanning the windows, and saw a large black beast standing on the curb outside.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Apr. 2026
-
As for female leaders and mentors the WNBA standout has looked up to throughout her career?—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
McCarty and many council members elevated micro-communities as a cost-effective way to house Sacramento’s seniors.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
From the packaging to the product's consistency, the whole process feels elevated—more comparable to a fun-to-use new skin care product than a standard conditioner.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
30 Mar. 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
“Perked (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perked%20%28up%29. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
