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 modeling industry has long played a role in perpetuating unrealistic body standards, though there have been cyclical advances and setbacks.
—
Rory Satran, Vogue, 28 Apr. 2026
Skepticism about Shakespeare having actually written the plays attributed to him has persisted for more than a century, originated by lack of documentation and inadequacies in the historical record and perpetuated by cultural fascination.
—Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for perpetuate
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Rory Satran, Vogue, 28 Apr. 2026
Skepticism about Shakespeare having actually written the plays attributed to him has persisted for more than a century, originated by lack of documentation and inadequacies in the historical record and perpetuated by cultural fascination.
—Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for perpetuate
Cite this Entry
“Perpetuate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perpetuate. Accessed 1 May. 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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