perpetrate
verb
per·pe·trate
ˈpər-pə-ˌtrāt 
perpetrated; perpetrating
1
: to bring about or carry out (something, such as a crime or deception) : commit
2
: to produce, perform, or execute (something likened to a crime)
perpetrate a pun
Synonyms
Examples of perpetrate in a Sentence
The men were planning to perpetrate a robbery.
The attack was perpetrated by a street gang.
He vowed revenge for the crime perpetrated on his family.
Recent Examples on the Web
Germany has seen a spate of recent attacks perpetrated by migrants that has catapulted the issue to the center of the election campaign.
—
Sebastian Shukla, CNN, 3 Feb. 2025
On the one hand, beset by violence perpetrated by guerrillas, the state, sicarios, drug traffickers and the like, the country’s filmmakers have turned to a gritty, oft-bleak naturalism where death guides stories.
—Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 26 Jan. 2025
For example, most instances of child identity theft are perpetrated by a family member or someone else the child knows.
—Robert Farrington, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
Mexico faces its own lethal epidemic with 70% of homicides perpetrated with a firearm, most of them illegally trafficked from the U.S. to Mexico.
—Gretchen Burns Bergman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for perpetrate 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Sebastian Shukla, CNN, 3 Feb. 2025
On the one hand, beset by violence perpetrated by guerrillas, the state, sicarios, drug traffickers and the like, the country’s filmmakers have turned to a gritty, oft-bleak naturalism where death guides stories.
—Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 26 Jan. 2025
For example, most instances of child identity theft are perpetrated by a family member or someone else the child knows.
—Robert Farrington, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
Mexico faces its own lethal epidemic with 70% of homicides perpetrated with a firearm, most of them illegally trafficked from the U.S. to Mexico.
—Gretchen Burns Bergman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for perpetrate
Articles Related to perpetrate
Dictionary Entries Near perpetrate
Cite this Entry
“Perpetrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perpetrate. Accessed 13 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
perpetrate
verb
per·pe·trate
ˈpər-pə-ˌtrāt
perpetrated; perpetrating
: to be guilty of doing : commit
Legal Definition
perpetrate
transitive verb
per·pe·trate
ˈpər-pə-ˌtrāt
perpetrated; perpetrating
: to carry out or bring about (as a crime)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share