Perpetuate vs. Perpetrate
These formal verbs look similar but take different kinds of objects. “Perpetuate” means keep something going; “perpetrate” means commit a wrongful, violent, or harmful act.
Use “perpetuate” when something causes a condition, belief, or problem to continue. Use “perpetrate” when someone commits a crime or another harmful act.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / context | Use | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| cause a condition, myth, practice, or problem to continue | perpetuate | Use the continuation verb. |
| commit a crime or harmful act | perpetrate | Use the act-committing verb. |
| you mean “keep it going” rather than “do the offense” | perpetuate | The object meaning decides the choice. |
Quick tests
Decision test
Does the verb mean cause something to continue?
If yes: Use “perpetuate.”
If no: If it means commit a crime or harmful act, use “perpetrate.”
Caveat: Use neutral hypothetical examples for “perpetrate”; do not attach allegations to real people or organizations.
Examples
Repeating the rumor may perpetuate the misunderstanding.
The action causes the misunderstanding to continue.
The fictional character was accused of perpetrating the fraud.
The verb means committing the harmful act in the fictional example.
Poor documentation can perpetuate the same error across later revisions.
The error continues because the underlying cause remains.
Further guidance
Core difference
Use the continuation verb.
Fast Test
Use “perpetuate.” If it means commit a crime or harmful act, use “perpetrate.”
Usage Boundary
Use neutral hypothetical examples for “perpetrate”; do not attach allegations to real people or organizations.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- perpetuate (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Formal perpetuate means to cause something to continue.
- perpetrate (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Formal perpetrate means to commit a crime or a violent or harmful act.