Perpetration is a formalused in official situations, not in everyday casual speech word for the act of committingdoing or carrying out an illegal or wrong action a crime or other harmfulcausing damage, injury, or other bad effects act. It is most often used in legal or serious news contexts.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˌpɝpəˈtreɪʃən/
Easy pronunciation: per-puh-TRAY-shun (approximate spelling).
Stress: Primary stress on TRAY; secondary stress on the first syllable.
Used in the sense of the act of committing a crime or harmful act.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Perpetration Meaning
doing a crime or wrongdoing
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the act of committing a crime or other harmful act
Example: The police are still investigating the perpetration of the fraud.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- commission — A direct synonym in the sense of carrying out or committing an offense.
- committal — Can mean the act of committing something, though it is less common and more formal than commission.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Perpetration Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- commission
- committal
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- People sometimes confuse perpetration with perpetrator. A perpetrator is the person who commits the act; perpetration is the act itself.
- It is usually used for crimes, fraud, or serious wrongdoing, not ordinary actions.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does perpetration mean?
Perpetration means the act of committing a crime or other serious wrongdoing.
What is a synonym for perpetration?
Commission is the closest common synonym. Committal can also work in some formal contexts.
Is perpetration the same as perpetrator?
No. Perpetration is the act of committing something, while a perpetrator is the person who does it.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.