self-per·pet·u·at·ing
ˌself-pər-ˈpe-chə-ˌwā-tiŋ 
: capable of continuing or renewing oneself indefinitely : capable of perpetuating oneself or itself
After years of experiments failing to reveal what maintains this remarkable population of self-perpetuating cells … researchers working with mice have now discovered a way to propagate the cells in the laboratory.—
S. Carpenter
S. Carpentera self-perpetuating problem [=a problem that causes circumstances that perpetuate the problem]
According to [Laura] Weston, the "self-perpetuating myth" that women's sport doesn't have any audience—which is used by broadcasters, sports editors and brands as the reason not to support it—is, of course, rubbish.—Nicole Kemp
Nicole KempNew research from Chicago University has discovered that there's a reason why some people who feel lonely often get into a self-perpetuating cycle of loneliness, avoiding social interaction so they won't be rejected.—Kate Whiting
Kate Whiting
: perpetuation of oneself or itself
concerned with self-perpetuation in office they too often ignore the public welfare—E. M. Eriksson
E. M. ErikssonExamples of self-perpetuating in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Oliver Kay, New York Times, 13 June 2026
These two risks are also self-perpetuating.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
However, the greater concern is not the initial price shock but the risk of these disruptions becoming self-perpetuating regime shifts.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2026
When the cost of servicing past debt grows faster than the economy that supports it, debt accumulation becomes self-perpetuating, making a fiscal crisis increasingly likely.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026
The book is about a kidnapping scheme where the victim’s parents must kidnap another child to secure their own child’s release, creating a self-perpetuating chain of abductions.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 29 Jan. 2026
According to Swart, confrontations between demonstrators and federal agents have devolved into a self-perpetuating escalation cycle.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
For Wallerstein, these were the necessary and sufficient conditions to render capitalism a self-perpetuating machine.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Alarm bells sounding in forests and oceans In the Amazon, self-perpetuating feedback loops threaten the stability of the Earth’s largest rain forest, an ecosystem that influences global climate.
—Alexandra A Phillips, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2025
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Adjective
At its highest level, football’s appeal is self-perpetuating.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 13 June 2026
These two risks are also self-perpetuating.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
However, the greater concern is not the initial price shock but the risk of these disruptions becoming self-perpetuating regime shifts.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2026
When the cost of servicing past debt grows faster than the economy that supports it, debt accumulation becomes self-perpetuating, making a fiscal crisis increasingly likely.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026
The book is about a kidnapping scheme where the victim’s parents must kidnap another child to secure their own child’s release, creating a self-perpetuating chain of abductions.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 29 Jan. 2026
According to Swart, confrontations between demonstrators and federal agents have devolved into a self-perpetuating escalation cycle.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
For Wallerstein, these were the necessary and sufficient conditions to render capitalism a self-perpetuating machine.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Alarm bells sounding in forests and oceans In the Amazon, self-perpetuating feedback loops threaten the stability of the Earth’s largest rain forest, an ecosystem that influences global climate.
—Alexandra A Phillips, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-perpetuating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-perpetuating. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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