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View synonyms for perform

perform

[ per-fawrm ]

verb (used with object)

  1. to carry out; execute; do:

    to perform miracles.

  2. to go through or execute in the proper, customary, or established manner:

    to perform the marriage ceremony.

  3. to carry into effect; fulfill:

    Perform what you promise.

    Synonyms: effect, achieve, accomplish

  4. to enact (a play, part, etc.), as on the stage, in movies, or on television.
  5. to render (music), as by playing or singing.
  6. to accomplish (any action involving skill or ability), as before an audience:

    to perform a juggling act.

  7. to complete.
  8. to exhibit behaviors associated with (a particular social role or identity):

    This study investigates the ways in which biracial Americans perform race in their day-to-day lives.

  9. to behave in ways that exhibit (a socially acceptable belief, trait, or quality), often merely for show:

    Nineteenth-century British women found in the antislavery movement a perfect way to perform empathy.



verb (used without object)

  1. to fulfill a command, promise, or undertaking.
  2. to execute or do something.
  3. to act in a play:

    to perform in the role of Romeo.

  4. to perform music.
  5. to go through any performance.
  6. (of loans, investments, etc.) to yield a profit; earn income.
  7. to have sexual intercourse:

    I could not perform in my first intimate encounter with the love of my life.

perform

/ pəˈfɔːm /

verb

  1. to carry out or do (an action)
  2. tr to fulfil or comply with

    to perform someone's request

  3. to present or enact (a play, concert, etc) before or otherwise entertain an audience

    the group performed Hamlet

  4. informal.
    intr to accomplish sexual intercourse

    he performed well

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Derived Forms

  • perˈformable, adjective
  • perˈformer, noun
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Other Words From

  • per·form·a·ble adjective
  • per·form·er noun
  • mis·per·form verb
  • o·ver·per·form verb
  • re·per·form verb (used with object)
  • self-per·formed adjective
  • un·per·form·a·ble adjective
  • un·per·formed adjective
  • un·per·form·ing adjective
  • well-per·formed adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of perform1

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English parformen, from Anglo-French parformer, alteration (by association with forme form ) of Middle French, Old French parfournir “to accomplish”; per-, furnish
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Word History and Origins

Origin of perform1

C14: from Anglo-Norman perfourmer (influenced by forme form ), from Old French parfournir, from par- per- + fournir to provide; see furnish
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Synonym Study

Perform, discharge, execute, transact mean to carry to completion a prescribed course of action. Perform is the general word, often applied to ordinary activity as a more formal expression than do, but usually implying regular, methodical, or prolonged application or work: to perform an exacting task. Discharge implies carrying out an obligation, often a formal or legal one: to discharge one's duties as a citizen. Execute means either to carry out an order or to carry through a plan or program: to execute a maneuver. Transact, meaning to conduct or manage, has commercial connotations: to transact business.
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Example Sentences

Wooten, a nurse at the facility, was the first to raise concerns about the hysterectomies, which were performed by a gynecologist described as “the uterus collector” in a whistleblower complaint filed Monday.

From Vox

That made it the third-best performing bureau, behind only the Foreign Service Institute and the Bureau of Intelligence and Research.

The new algorithm performs flips one at a time, searching for a solution.

Despite the turmoil, the firm is confident about its position, and its ability to perform for clients.

From Fortune

If what you value is a player capable of performing within herself, well, you probably already enjoyed Hebard with the Oregon Ducks — and even more now in her time as a classic five with the playoff-bound Sky.

His first language was Russian, then he learned Swedish, but chooses to perform in monosyllabic broken English.

Both males and females at parties, weddings, and celebrations perform it.

Girls perform better in school (though this does not, seemingly, result in higher wages).

I felt very free there to sort of, you know, perform…not just doing guys and dolls and stuff.

Daniels, 28, was allegedly the first to force “Jane Doe” to perform sexual acts on johns.

I ne'er heard yet that any of these bolder vices wanted less impudence to gainsay what they did, than to perform it first.

The special license had arrived; the young clergyman who was to perform the service was located at Hartledon.

On some future occasion I may suggest how you may successfully perform your duties in your new position.

That is a very flimsy pretext, so that the fiscals may not perform their duties faithfully against the governor.

It took her twenty years to save enough money to perform her first journey!

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