buck up

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Bernard DeVoto once tried to buck up his friend Catherine Drinker Bowen, who was wavering between a career in history and one in music.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

The pair were told to buck up their ideas by the referee as they began talking to each other during the middle of the rounds.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2025

Still, the more you observe these corporate leaders who ax swaths of employees and tell the survivors to buck up, the more you realize how eerily they’re all taking after Musk specifically.

From Slate • Sep. 14, 2023

So, kids, it’s time to buck up and put on a smile.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 17, 2023

Somehow, the sight of those stoic palace guards made her buck up a bit, with their imperturbable faces and brave fur hats.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood