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Synonyms

perpetrated

American  
[pur-pi-trey-tid] / ˈpɜr pɪˌtreɪ tɪd /

adjective

  1. (of a crime, injustice, hoax, prank, etc.) committed or carried out.

    I concluded that the entire argument for the war might be not only dubious, but a deliberately perpetrated sham.

  2. (of something tasteless, false, poorly executed, etc.) presented, made, performed, etc..

    This piece of unholy perpetrated music is a self-portrait of the artist as a maniac, without a trace of beauty in it.


verb

  1. the simple past tense and past participle of perpetrate.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of perpetrated

perpetrate ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But George told AFP it is "unlikely" the gym shooting was perpetrated by Iranian government agents.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

Carnival plays out in the movie’s background, adding life and music as well as disguising crimes perpetrated by those in power.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2026

This study suggests elder financial abuse is typically perpetrated by family members, trusted friends, and caregivers.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 30, 2025

She later added that there is a chance the earlier break-ins could have been perpetrated by a different raccoon - but officials have identified him as their prime suspect.

From BBC • Dec. 12, 2025

From the United States: “The entire world sat back aghast. Nothing like the theft of the Mona Lisa had ever been perpetrated before in the world’s history.”

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day