picker-upper

1 6.6

Something that makes you feel happier and more energetic

noun
/ˈpɪkər ˈʌpər/

Informal

: levantador de ánimo

Listening to my favorite music is a great picker-upper after a long day.

Examples

A cup of coffee can be a real picker-upper when you're feeling tired.
After the disappointing news, her friends planned a picker-upper to cheer her up.
His unexpected visit was just the picker-upper I needed that day.
A good cup of coffee is a great picker-upper.
Her smile is such a wonderful picker-upper!
The comedian's jokes were a real picker-upper and made the audience laugh.
A warm cup of tea can be a comforting picker-upper on a chilly evening.

Synonyms

pick-me-up

vspicker-upper

26 4.2

A drink or small activity that makes you feel more energetic when tired

is broader and covers mood improvement beyond quick energy boosts

uplifter

vspicker-upper

1 5.1

Something that makes you feel happier

is limited to non-personal items and does not include people who cheer

Antonyms

depressant

Specialized

1 6.6

Causing the body or mind to work more slowly

How Uplifting

uplifting

1 4.1

picker-upper

Informal

1 6.6

brightener

Informal

1 3.5

Surface Forms

picker-upper singular

picker-uppers plural

Morphology

picker-upper = pick + up (transparent) = pick + up + er

Formed from the phrasal verb 'pick up' with the agentive nominalizer '-er' to mean 'something that picks (someone) up', so learners who know 'pick up' can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Picker-upper comes from the everyday phrase pick up, where pick means 'take' and up means 'higher' or 'better'. So a picker-upper is 'something that picks you up', a thing that lifts your mood or energy.