perpetuate

American  

[per-pech-oo-eyt] / pərˈpɛtʃ uˌeɪt /

verb (used with object)

perpetuated, perpetuating

1. to enable or allow the continuation of into the future; keep alive (used most often in reference to something considered harmful or false): Vines obscured a plaque intended to perpetuate her memory.

   Social media played a significant role in perpetuating political divisions.

   Vines obscured a plaque intended to perpetuate her memory.

2. to preserve from extinction or oblivion: perpetuate the species.

   to perpetuate one's name;

   perpetuate the species.

   Synonyms:

   sustain, save, preserve, maintain

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perpetuate British  

/ pəˈpɛtjʊˌeɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to cause to continue or prevail

   to perpetuate misconceptions

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Other Word Forms

• perpetuable adjective
• perpetuance noun
• perpetuation noun
• perpetuator noun
• unperpetuable adjective
• unperpetuating adjective

Etymology

Origin of perpetuate

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin perpetuātus (past participle of perpetuāre, derivative of perpetuus “uninterrupted”); perpetual, -ate ¹

Example Sentences

AI images perpetuate "misinformation", for example that people with albinism have red eyes, she said.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

Springsteen takes up the story and adds a moment where a man seeking what he believes is retribution against his friends decides to take another path instead and not perpetuate the cycle of violence.

From Salon • Feb. 10, 2026

“If this data has been absconded or downloaded, you could perpetuate fraud against every single government system in existence much more easily than at any time in our history.”

From MarketWatch • Feb. 4, 2026

“It was all the demands, and that everything one did was to perpetuate the album, the tour, maybe the next record,” she recalls.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 19, 2025

“No, perpetuate means to keep something going!' Like I am perpetuating your stupidity, Adina thought. “

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray

Related Words

• bolster
• maintain
• preserve