1
as in brightening
to become glad or hopeful
we perked up once the sun came out
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lifting
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 perking (up)
Verb
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First, find Copernicus shining brightly 10 degrees above the lunar equator, brightening the dark basaltic plains on the western lunar surface, and Tycho, which dominates the southern hemisphere of Earth's natural satellite around the full moon phase.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
3 Apr. 2026 -
Ferulic acid boosts that brightening trio, while niacinamide and tangerine peel extract help even things out over time.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The city chose a more muscular solution, raising the park and lifting the river’s edge to form a wall intended to hold back sixteen feet of surge.—
Eric Klinenberg,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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If Orbán is reelected, the EU could use that funding as a bargaining chip to extract concessions such as lifting his veto of the 90 billion euros to Ukraine, Hegedűs said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That’s $5 mil more than what Melania reportedly cost, so things are looking up for ol’ Bezos.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
22 Mar. 2026
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Look, there’s nothing that impacts the American voter like pulling into a gas station, looking up at those big numbers, and seeing a four as the first number, and then God forbid, seeing a five.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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Despite recent rain and snow in Northern California, state water officials say the Sierra snowpack remains near historic lows, raising concerns about water availability during the hot summer months.—
Brady Halbleib,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Get healthy, glowing skin with this all-in-one beauty wand.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
29 Mar. 2026
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This face serum brightens and evens skin tone, fights free radicals, supports collagen production, and softens the look of fine lines and wrinkles for glowing, healthy-looking skin.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Because of inflation and changing consumer habits, many big name retailers have been forced to reduce their store footprints, with e-commerce taking up a higher bulk of sales.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
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Trading pencil skirts for scrubs and pilot uniforms, many women are making waves by taking up space in high-paying industries.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Arthur Brooks, in particular, has made a career of elevating his noncommittal waffling into a warped kind of virtue.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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Smith is a Marine Corps Purple Heart veteran and an ordained minister whose work challenges traditional monuments by elevating the stories of everyday heroes and historical figures, city officials said in the news release.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Perking (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perking%20%28up%29. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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