perk up

/pərk əp/

Other forms: perked up; perking up; perks up

To perk up is to become more cheerful or energetic after feeling low or sluggish. If you're stuck at a boring party full of strangers, you'll perk up when your good friend walks in the door.

When someone perks up, they become more animated or upbeat. You might wait to talk to your parents in the morning until after they've had a cup of coffee to help them perk up. You could perhaps perk up a friend who lost their spelling bee or pickleball match by treating them to an ice-cream sundae or a picnic in the park. Perk up can also be used to describe the alert way a dog's ears move when it hears something interesting, like its favorite person coming home — or the word "Dinnertime!"

Definitions of perk up

1. verb

   gain or regain energy
   synonyms: gain vigor, percolate, perk, pick up

   type of:

   convalesce, recover, recuperate

   get over an illness or shock
2. verb

   cause to be alert and energetic
   synonyms: arouse, brace, energise, energize, stimulate

   types:

   cathect

   inject with libidinal energy

   animate, quicken, reanimate, recreate, renovate, repair, revive, revivify, vivify

   give new life or energy to

   invigorate, reinvigorate

   impart vigor, strength, or vitality to

   animate, enliven, invigorate, liven, liven up

   make lively

   ginger up, jazz up, juice up, pep up

   make more interesting or lively

   inspirit, spirit, spirit up

   infuse with spirit

   type of:

   affect

   act physically on; have an effect upon