buck up

verb

Definition of buck upnext
1
as in to brighten
to become glad or hopeful buck up, kids, it's not so bad as you're making it out to be

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to encourage
to fill with courage or strength of purpose a surprise presidential visit to buck up the troops

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of buck up Signal flares shot into the social media sky are meant to jumpstart conversations with coaches needing to plug holes or buck up slouching fan bases. — Brian Davis, Houston Chronicle, 2 Jan. 2026 While waiting for help, stay bucked up inside your vehicle. — Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 15 Oct. 2025 Defense gonna have to buck up yet again. — Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025 And then, over the course of the six episodes, Julie does encourage him to buck up at a little bit. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 25 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for buck up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buck up
  1. brighten
  2. encourage
  3. look up
  4. inspire
  5. glow
  6. bear up
  7. revive
Verb
  • Here's a snapshot of the finalists, but make sure to check out our gallery to see more images that'll brighten your day.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Soft yellow and tricolors of the French flag brightened the palette.
    — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of brighten
Verb
  • Mitte encouraged people to open up with each other and be candid about their feelings.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Sepesi hopes the worldwide attention surrounding the Pope's diagnosis will encourage more people to learn about lung cancer.
    — Tori Mason, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of encourage
Verb
  • But things would look up when Sabrina Popo made her entrance.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Both teams come into the contest with a 3-2 record and are looking up at the division leader.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of look up
Verb
  • All inspired by Rise & Fall’s signature knitwear and outerwear, the designs recast the language of clothing in sculptural forms, bringing together the softness of textiles and the presence of jewelry.
    — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • We were inspired from how many great discoveries that went on to revolutionize science and medicine came about from looking around in nature and finding these odd things—PCR [polymerase chain reaction] tests, for example, or CRISPR.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of inspire
Verb
  • Their living structures glowed at night a hundred miles up and down the coast.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
  • But the phone’s first public testers have given glowing feedback.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of glow
Verb
  • It can also be used as a bench, bearing up to 355 pounds.
    — Caitlyn Martyn may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2025
  • In 1970, the average Chinese woman was expected to bear up to six children throughout her lifetime.
    — Micah McCartney, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
Definition of bear up
Verb
  • The theft revived memories of the theft of crown jewels from the Louvre Museum in Paris last year and renewed calls for better security and funding at the many cultural sites across France.
    — SYLVIE CORBET, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Chan Luu is hardly an emerging brand because of its rich history, but Tessa Tran, the niece of Chan Luu, bought back the family business in 2023 and has since revived the line as artistic director.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of revive

Browse Nearby Words

bucks up
buck up
bucolic
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Cite this Entry

“Buck up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buck%20up. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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