PERKED (UP) Synonyms: 60 Similar and Opposite Words

perked (up)

verb

past tense of perk (up)

as in brightened

to become glad or hopeful we perked up once the sun came out

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Around that time, the comet experienced a large outburst, which brightened it about 8,000 times.

— Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 12 Aug. 2026
My whole life, my father had brightened at the sight of me, laughed at my jokes, and advised my brother, three years younger, to follow my example.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of brightened

Verb

Wednesday’s topping-out ceremony, when a construction crew lifted the final structural beam into place, doesn’t change that.

— Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
CrowdStrike's results lifted shares of fellow cybersecurity giant Palo Alto Networks, up more than 10% on Thursday.

— Paulina Likos, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of lifted

Verb

Growing up on a farm in Callicoon, New York, Keen looked up to his dad’s impressive career, but was more intrigued by his mom’s job at first.

— Giovana Gelhoren, InStyle, 15 Aug. 2026
This week's total solar eclipse captured the world's attention, and millions of skywatchers looked up (with the correct protective eyewear, hopefully) to experience the moon blocking out our star's light.

— Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of looked up

Verb

The color isn’t a precise measurement of toxicity, but a visual cue that glycoalkaloids may be elevated.

— Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 29 Aug. 2026
Fourteen years after geeking out over his MSG debut, Styles, now 32, commanded the storied building with new authority, electricity, and dazzling production value that elevated it above any of the six shows of his I’ve seen before.

— Michelle Ruiz, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of elevated

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.

Browse Nearby Words

perk

perked (up)

perkily

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Perked (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perked%20%28up%29. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of perked (up)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes