perpetuate

verb

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per·pet·u·ate | \ pər-ˈpe-chə-ˌwāt

perpetuated; perpetuating

Definition of perpetuate

transitive verb

: to make perpetual or cause to last indefinitely perpetuate the species

Other Words from perpetuate Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about perpetuate

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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 Normally, the immune system plays an important role in removing amyloid beta, but scientists believe the immune system might also perpetuate and accelerate Alzheimer’s. — Jenna Sternberg, Smithsonian, "The Gut Microbiome Could Speed Up the Progression of Alzheimer’s Disease," 13 Sep. 2019 Unearthed tweets by Crushers Club founder Sally Hazelgrove display beliefs that run counter to social justice activism and perpetuate harmful stereotypes about young black men. — Shannon Ryan, chicagotribune.com, "Column: The NFL’s social justice work is a slick PR ruse. Stop falling for it.," 7 Sep. 2019 Terror from gun violence is perpetuating a serious mental health crisis in our country today. — Diana Bray, The Denver Post, "Diana Bray: We must deal with the trauma of these mass shootings, too," 4 Sep. 2019 Ethicists warn that graphic images of affliction reinforce inequalities between privileged donors and relief recipients, leaving in place the structural disparities that cause and perpetuate global suffering. — Heather D. Curtis, The Conversation, "How American Christian media promoted charity abroad," 3 Sep. 2019 At worst, this perpetuates the kind of unsustainable, fossil-fuel-intensive agriculture the IPCC is warning us about. — Timothy A. Wise, WIRED, "Big Ag Is Sabotaging Progress on Climate Change," 28 Aug. 2019 But this college admission scandal is just one example of how higher education can perpetuate economic privilege rather than expand economic opportunity. — Anika Michel, Quartz at Work, "I did everything right and it still took over a year to find a job after grad school," 27 Aug. 2019 Spencer was criticized on social media for it, accused of bullying the young prince and perpetuating gender stereotypes. — Joey Morona, cleveland.com, "‘Good Morning America’ host Lara Spencer apologizes again for mocking Prince George for taking ballet lessons," 26 Aug. 2019 President Trump responded to the news of Epstein's death by perpetuating conspiracy theories. — Ryan Parker, The Hollywood Reporter, "Jeffrey Epstein's Neck Broken In Multiple Places, Autopsy Finds," 15 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'perpetuate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for perpetuate

perpetuate

verb

English Language Learners Definition of perpetuate

formal : to cause (something that should be stopped, such as a mistaken idea or a bad situation) to continue

See the full definition for perpetuate in the English Language Learners Dictionary

perpetuate

verb

per·pet·u·ate | \ pər-ˈpe-chə-ˌwāt

perpetuated; perpetuating

Kids Definition of perpetuate

: to cause to last a long time

perpetuate

transitive verb

per·pet·u·ate | \ pər-ˈpe-chə-ˌwāt

perpetuated; perpetuating

Legal Definition of perpetuate

: 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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