Standard Lemma guide

pick-me-up

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A drink, often an alcoholic one, taken as a stimulant or sometimes as a hangover cure; a restorative, tonic or bracer.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

Examples

  • Strong tea is just the pick-me-up that I need right now.
  • He brought a hip flask along, just in case he needs a little pick-me-up later.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Something that improves one's mood.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • A trip into town for lunch with my friend was a nice pick-me-up today.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a tonic or restorative (especially a drink of liquor)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bracer

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: tonic, restorative

4

noun

Meaning 4

anything with restorative powers

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • she needed the pickup that coffee always gave her

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pickup

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: corrective, restorative

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: средство против махмурлук (sredstvo protiv mahmurluk) — drink
  • Czech: nakopávač — drink
  • German: Mageneinrenker — drink
  • Hungarian: szíverősítő — drink
  • Russian: тонизи́рующее сре́дство (tonizírujuščeje srédstvo) — drink
  • Spanish: reconstituyente — drink
  • Spanish: analéptico — drink
  • Spanish: revitalizador — drink
  • Spanish: energizante — drink
  • Swedish: återställare — drink