[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/perpetrate/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [P](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/p/) / perpetrate

# perpetrate

verb (perpetrate, perpetrates, perpetrated, perpetrating)

«perpetrate» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

(formal) To do something wrong, harmful or illegal, such as a crime or a trick. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/perpetrate/#m1)

### In the lessons

In news, law and history, crimes, frauds and attacks are "perpetrated"; the person who did it is the perpetrator. It is a formal, serious word. In mystery stories, detectives find out who perpetrated the crime. Sometimes used jokingly: "Who perpetrated this terrible pun?"

### Examples

- The police found who perpetrated the robbery. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/perpetrate/#x1)
- Crimes perpetrated during wars must be investigated. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/perpetrate/#x2)
- The trick was perpetrated by two clever boys. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/perpetrate/#x3)
- "Who perpetrated this mess?" asked Dad. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/perpetrate/#x4)
- The fraud was perpetrated over many years. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/perpetrate/#x5)
- History remembers those who perpetrated great cruelty. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/perpetrate/#x6)

### Note

Formal regular verb. Person: perpetrator. Trap: do not confuse with "perpetuate" (to make something carry on). Perpetrate = commit a bad act; perpetuate = keep it going.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «perpetrate» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/perpetrate/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«perpetrate» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/perpetrate.html) on Mova free.