perpetuate
verb
per·pet·u·ate
pər-ˈpe-chə-ˌwāt 
perpetuated; perpetuating
: to make perpetual or cause to last indefinitely
perpetuate the species
Examples of perpetuate in a Sentence
He perpetuates the myth that his house is haunted.
Fears about an epidemic are being perpetuated by the media.
Recent Examples on the Web
But procrastinating can make the chore feel more daunting and perpetuate the cycle of not wanting to do it at all.
—
Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 24 Jan. 2026
That’s because their profitability perpetuates animation’s dismissive status as suited only for families or kids.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
The disproportionate impact on Black and Latino youth further compounds systemic inequities and perpetuates cycles of harm.
—Gladys Carrión, New York Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
Critics have also perpetuated the narrative that Washington insiders handpicked Whatley.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 21 Jan. 2026
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Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 24 Jan. 2026
That’s because their profitability perpetuates animation’s dismissive status as suited only for families or kids.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
The disproportionate impact on Black and Latino youth further compounds systemic inequities and perpetuates cycles of harm.
—Gladys Carrión, New York Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
Critics have also perpetuated the narrative that Washington insiders handpicked Whatley.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for perpetuate
Cite this Entry
“Perpetuate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perpetuate. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
perpetuate
verb
per·pet·u·ate
pər-ˈpech-ə-ˌwāt
perpetuated; perpetuating
: to make perpetual or cause to last indefinitely
Legal Definition
perpetuate
transitive verb
per·pet·u·ate
pər-ˈpe-chə-ˌwāt
perpetuated; perpetuating
: to preserve or make available (testimony) for later use at a trial by means of deposition especially when the evidence so gathered would be otherwise unavailable or lost
Note: Courts will not allow the perpetuation of testimony at a pretrial proceeding if it appears to be an attempt to fish for useful material.
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