perked; perking; perks
Synonyms of perk

intransitive verb

1
a
: to thrust up the head, stretch out the neck, or carry the body in a bold or insolent manner
b
: to stick up or out jauntily
2
: to gain in vigor or cheerfulness especially after a period of weakness or depression
—usually used with up
he's perked up noticeably

transitive verb

1
: to make smart or spruce in appearance : freshen, improve
—often used with up
2
: to thrust up quickly or impudently

perk

2 of 3

verb (2)

perked; perking; perks

perk

3 of 3

noun

: perquisite
—usually plural

Examples of perk in a Sentence

Verb (1) we perked up once the sun came out the dog tilts her head and perks up her ears whenever someone speaks to her Noun the salary's not great, but the perks make up for it
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Your Energy Improves Taking a break from the task at hand and moving your body can perk you up. — Ann Pietrangelo, Verywell Health, 29 Sep. 2026 Some of the bonus perks the app regularly fed me weren’t available. — Jake Pearson, ProPublica, 26 Sep. 2026
Noun
During harvest season when Healdsburg’s best reservations are that much trickier to secure, that perk alone is worth its weight in gold. — Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026 These award flight perks are available with United cards that have an annual fee, like the United℠ Explorer Card (see rates and fees) and United Quest℠ Card. — Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for perk

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1583, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1b

Verb (2)

1922, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1869, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of perk was in 1583

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Perk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perk. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

perk

verb
ˈpərk
1
: to lift quickly or alertly
the dog perked up its ears
2
: to make fresher in appearance
new paint perked up the room
3
: to become more lively or cheerful
—usually used with up
we perked up at the good news

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