Meaning & use
perpetuate
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To keep something going, especially a belief, a custom or a problem, so that it lasts a long time.
Grammar: Takes an object and is most often used with harmful things: perpetuate a myth.
Patterns
- perpetuate something
The film perpetuates the myth that bats are dangerous.
Poor housing perpetuates poverty across generations.
Critics say the rules only perpetuate the old inequalities.
verbtransitiveformal
To make something remembered or preserved for a long time, often as a mark of honor.
Grammar: Used with memory or name: perpetuate his memory.
Patterns
- perpetuate someone's memory
- perpetuate someone's name
A scholarship fund was set up to perpetuate her memory.
The statue perpetuates the name of the town's founder.
The family published a book to perpetuate his stories.
Word forms
| third person singular | perpetuates |
|---|---|
| past tense | perpetuated |
| past participle | perpetuated |
| -ing form | perpetuating |
Common combinations
- perpetuate a myth
- Advertising can perpetuate a myth about beauty.
- perpetuate a stereotype
- The sketch perpetuates a tired stereotype.
- perpetuate the cycle
- Cutting school funds may perpetuate the cycle of poverty.
- perpetuate inequality
- Such policies perpetuate inequality.
- perpetuate someone's memory
- The park perpetuates the memory of the soldiers.
Synonyms and how they differ
- continue
- Continue is neutral and general, whereas perpetuate implies keeping something going actively and often unfairly.
- preserve
- Preserve is usually positive and suggests protecting something valuable, unlike perpetuate.
- sustain
- Sustain is neutral and means to keep something going with support, without the negative tone.
- maintain
- Maintain means to keep in the same condition, and it suits buildings and relationships as well.
Opposites
Word family
- perpetual adjective
- continuing forever or without a break
- perpetuation noun
- the act of keeping something going
- perpetuity noun
- the state of lasting forever
- perpetually adverb
- constantly, without stopping
Commonly confused: perpetuate or perpetrate?
perpetuate vs perpetrate
Perpetrate means to commit a crime or harmful act, while perpetuate means to cause something to continue.
Practice
Repeating the rumor will only ____ the confusion.
Choose one answer.
Perpetuate means to keep something going. Perpetrate means to commit a wrongdoing and is a common mix-up.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “perpetuate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.