How to Use perk up in a Sentence

perk up

verb
  • Carter perked up when he was asked about his new coach.
    — Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
  • The turkey perked up and flew off.
    — Emma Allen, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
  • As a non-gel girl myself, my ears perked up.
    — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Mother frowned, then perked up.
    — Literary Hub, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Leaves perk up, blooms return, and the whole basket feels alive again.
    — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2026
  • The stock perked up on Monday, up 17%.
    — Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Netflix stock perked up in pre-market trading on the news.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Peet perks up at the mention of Shear’s new writing project.
    — Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Something troopers threatened to use to clear the crowd made a lot of ears perk up.
    — Derek James, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
  • The leaves may wilt when the plant is thirsty but should perk up after watering.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Palmy wallpaper from Cole & Son perks up a hall.
    — Gary Thompson, Midwest Living, 5 June 2026
  • These verdant noodles are the ideal side dish to perk up any summer meal.
    — Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 June 2026
  • Shares in the streaming giant perked up 1% in pre-market trading.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2026
  • At the end of 2025, new-home sales perked up, helped in part by builder incentives.
    — Bloomberg, Oc Register, 25 Feb. 2026
  • People relate to seeing their dogs perk up when walks are mentioned, Sheena said.
    — Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
  • Add a splash of water to loosen the consistency, if needed, and a squeeze of lemon juice to perk up the sauce.
    — Martha Stewart, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Once the lettuce perks up, give it a spin in the salad spinner to remove excess moisture.
    — Alyssa Sybertz, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
  • The stock has managed to perk up in 2026, with an advance of 16% year to date.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 1 Mar. 2026
  • Mylise Pena had high hopes for the home team, but her attention would perk up well after kickoff.
    — Will Richmond, The Providence Journal, 5 Feb. 2026
  • If the plant perks up in the evening because the soil is still moist, this is a normal, temporary response to extreme heat.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 20 June 2026
  • Or perk up with a complimentary cup of coffee or tea—available to all Ofland guests.
    — Jenny Willden, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Jan. 2026
  • Those quieted after a win over Ohio last Friday but might perk up again after this.
    — Joe Reedy, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
  • After getting some water from the firefighters, the cats perked up and started walking around.
    — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
  • The ears of Hawks season ticket holder Maurice Sims perked up.
    — Rodney Ho, AJC.com, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Natural gas and crude oil are leading the charge, with nuclear and solar and wind also perking up.
    — Brian Sullivan, CNBC, 13 May 2026
  • But when temperatures rise and the days grow longer in spring, indoor plants perk up from their winter rest and start growing new roots, stems, and leaves.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2026
  • Ears that stay perked up also prevent heat from being trapped, and allow for better circulation.
    — Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 29 May 2026
  • No matter what style Barnes is toying with, their antenna perks up when relationships start to fray.
    — Ethan Beck, Pitchfork, 9 June 2026
  • The neighbor dog quickly perks up, and the two pups head off together for what viewers assume is their regular playtime.
    — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
  • So, in reading the ingredient list of the reformulation, my ears perked up.
    — Vogue, 31 Mar. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'perk up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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