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Synonyms

perk up

British  

verb

  1. to make or become more cheerful, hopeful, or lively

  2. to rise or cause to rise briskly

    the dog's ears perked up

  3. (tr) to make smarter in appearance

    she perked up her outfit with a bright scarf

  4. slang (intr) to vomit

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
perk up Idioms  

  1. Restore to good spirits, liveliness, or good appearance, as in You're exhausted, but a cup of tea will perk you up, or The flowers perked up the whole room. [Mid-1600s]

Etymology

Origin of perk up

C14 perk, perhaps from Norman French perquer; see perch 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A program offering subsidies to buy household appliances and electric vehicles helped perk up spending earlier last year, but retail-sales momentum has since waned.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 14, 2026

Roasted sweet potatoes perk up instantly with toasted pistachios.

From Salon • Dec. 20, 2025

"But I need to be able to handle all the feelings and then perk up and perform."

From BBC • Dec. 12, 2025

He expects home sales to perk up as mortgage rates drop.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 23, 2025

I perk up at the mention of Katherine's mom.

From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.