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

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

“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

“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

Nonetheless, they have plans to cut through the fog to perpetuate expansion and boost returns.

From Barron's

Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson rejected that plan, saying it would perpetuate the whales' exploitation.

From Barron's

Related Words

• bolster
• maintain
• preserve