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
The ongoing lawsuit accuses the defendants of discrimination and perpetuating the social barriers faced by nonwhite runners in the sport.
—
Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Someone who perpetuates ideas rooted in the manosphere, such as asking your partner to do Pilates daily, may not even realize the misogyny behind that sentiment, Barnes says.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
This not only perpetuates workplace inequity, but also retains the standard for men in their dominant industries.
—Liza Lentini, SPIN, 14 Apr. 2026
While answering a question about how negative public perceptions may have led to perpetuating cycles of self-destruction, Dunham brought up how those narratives echoed themselves on television.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for perpetuate
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Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Someone who perpetuates ideas rooted in the manosphere, such as asking your partner to do Pilates daily, may not even realize the misogyny behind that sentiment, Barnes says.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
This not only perpetuates workplace inequity, but also retains the standard for men in their dominant industries.
—Liza Lentini, SPIN, 14 Apr. 2026
While answering a question about how negative public perceptions may have led to perpetuating cycles of self-destruction, Dunham brought up how those narratives echoed themselves on television.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 12 Apr. 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 27 Apr. 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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