BUCKS UP Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

bucks up

verb

present tense third-person singular of buck up

as in brightens

to become glad or hopeful buck up, kids, it's not so bad as you're making it out to be

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as in encourages

to fill with courage or strength of purpose a surprise presidential visit to buck up the troops

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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 bucks up Davidsen bucks up her balky husband with a bloodthirsty holler, stiffens her voice against doubt, and, in her final sleepwalking scene, taps into the tender stratum of Lady Macbeth’s subconscious. — Justin Davidson, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bucks up

Verb

As the sky fades through ever-deeper shades of blue, the moon brightens, and the first stars emerge around it.

— Jamie Carter, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Nothing brightens a gray winter day like these sunny yellow flowers.

— Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of brightens

Verb

Applied to a solo outing, that approach encourages diners to appreciate the meal in front of them instead of scrolling through their phones.

— Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026
Jordan says a recent guideline change encourages doctors to diagnose and treat sooner based on symptoms.

— Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of encourages

Verb

At Cornell’s Student & Campus Life Center, a junior working the front desk looks up from her laptop, covered in colorful Bible-verse stickers, to nervously answer a few questions.

— Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 14 Oct. 2026
As Antonio Silva looks up, Evanilson is between the two centre-backs.

— Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of looks up

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buckskins

bucks up

buck up

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

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Synonyms of bucks up

verb

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