Meaning & use
perform
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To carry out, complete, or do an action, task, duty, or process, often following a set procedure or standard.
Grammar: Takes an object: perform an operation. Unlike do, it often collocates with formal or technical tasks.
Patterns
- perform a task/duty/operation
- perform an experiment/operation
- perform a ceremony/ritual
The surgeon will perform the operation tomorrow morning.
Students performed a simple experiment to test the theory.
The mayor performed the opening ceremony of the new bridge.
verbtransitive or intransitive
To give entertainment to an audience by acting, singing, dancing, playing music, or similar skills.
Grammar: Used with no object (the band performed) or with an object naming a work or role (perform a play, a piece).
Patterns
- perform on stage
- perform a play/piece/song
- perform in front of an audience
The orchestra will perform tonight at the concert hall.
She performed a short piano piece by Chopin.
He has performed in theaters across the country.
verbintransitive
To work or function, especially to do so well, badly, or in a particular way.
Grammar: No object; usually followed by an adverb: perform well, poorly, reliably.
Patterns
- perform well/badly
- perform reliably
- perform in difficult conditions
The new laptop performs well even with heavy software.
The team performed poorly in the first half of the season.
This engine performs reliably in extreme cold.
Word forms
| third person singular | performs |
|---|---|
| past tense | performed |
| past participle | performed |
| -ing form | performing |
Common combinations
- perform a task/duty
- Every employee must perform the duties listed in their contract.
- perform an operation/surgery
- Only senior surgeons are allowed to perform this operation.
- perform on stage
- She was nervous the first time she performed on stage.
- perform well/badly
- The car performs well in wet weather.
- perform an experiment
- We performed the experiment three times to confirm the result.
Synonyms and how they differ
- carry out
- Carry out is the everyday equivalent for tasks and duties; perform sounds more formal or technical.
- execute
- Execute is formal and precise, common in computing and legal contexts for completing a process exactly.
- accomplish
- Accomplish stresses achieving a difficult goal or result, not simply following a procedure.
- act
- Act fits only the entertainment sense; it cannot replace perform for tasks or machines.
Word family
- performance noun
- the act of performing; how well someone or something works; also a show.
- performer noun
- a person who entertains an audience, such as an actor or musician.
- performing adjective
- relating to entertainment, as in performing arts.
Commonly confused: perform or preform?
perform vs preform
Preform means to shape or form something in advance; it is a different, less common word, though the spelling is close.
Practice
Which sentence is correct?
Choose one answer.
Perform is transitive and takes the task as its object: perform an operation on someone. The other options place the object in impossible positions, so they are ungrammatical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “perform”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.