self-perpetuating

adjective

self-per·​pet·​u·​at·​ing ˌself-pər-ˈpe-chə-ˌwā-tiŋ How to pronounce self-perpetuating (audio)
: 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
a 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
New 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
self-perpetuation noun
the self-perpetuation of bureaucratic rules

Examples of self-perpetuating in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This creates a self-perpetuating cycle of garbage in - garbage out, reducing the software system’s effectiveness and deviating from human-like understanding and accuracy. Adrian Bridgwater, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024 When cumulative impacts reach a threshold, the change becomes self-perpetuating, resulting in substantial, often abrupt and potentially irreversible change. Emma Ogao, ABC News, 10 Oct. 2024 As in Washington, politicians in Tehran live in their own self-perpetuating bubbles. Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2024 All these financial headwinds turn into a self-perpetuating cycle. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 8 July 2024 That polarization is creating a self-perpetuating cycle One major factor complicating our national immigration debate is that for all the talk on the issue, the country has done very little to legislate on it. Matt Collette, Vox, 6 June 2024 There is a long tradition of states harnessing innovation to project power abroad, but what has changed is the self-perpetuating nature of scientific advances. Eric Schmidt, Foreign Affairs, 28 Feb. 2023 And to create their own self-perpetuating culture on behalf of Children’s Mercy on what began as more or less a whim of Riggle’s in 2010 to host a poker tournament with Rudd and Sudeikis to raise $50,000 one year. Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 31 May 2024 But there’s symbolic resonance in the idea that cycles of abuse are self-perpetuating. Judy Berman, TIME, 19 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'self-perpetuating.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1659, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-perpetuating was in 1659

Dictionary Entries Near self-perpetuating

Cite this Entry

“Self-perpetuating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-perpetuating. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!