perform
Americanverb (used with object)
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to perform miracles.
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to go through or execute in the proper, customary, or established manner.
to perform the marriage ceremony.
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to carry into effect; fulfill.
Perform what you promise.
- Synonyms:
- effect , achieve , accomplish
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to enact (a play, part, etc.), as on the stage, in movies, or on television.
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to render (music), as by playing or singing.
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to accomplish (any action involving skill or ability), as before an audience.
to perform a juggling act.
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to complete.
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to exhibit behaviors associated with (a particular social role or identity).
This study investigates the ways in which biracial Americans perform race in their day-to-day lives.
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to behave in ways that exhibit (a socially acceptable belief, trait, or quality), often merely for show.
Nineteenth-century British women found in the antislavery movement a perfect way to perform empathy.
verb (used without object)
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to fulfill a command, promise, or undertaking.
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to execute or do something.
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to act in a play.
to perform in the role of Romeo.
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to perform music.
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to go through any performance.
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(of loans, investments, etc.) to yield a profit; earn income.
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to have sexual intercourse.
I could not perform in my first intimate encounter with the love of my life.
verb
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to carry out or do (an action)
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(tr) to fulfil or comply with
to perform someone's request
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to present or enact (a play, concert, etc) before or otherwise entertain an audience
the group performed Hamlet
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informal (intr) to accomplish sexual intercourse
he performed well
Related Words
Perform, discharge, execute, transact mean to carry to completion a prescribed course of action. Perform is the general word, often applied to ordinary activity as a more formal expression than do, but usually implying regular, methodical, or prolonged application or work: to perform an exacting task. Discharge implies carrying out an obligation, often a formal or legal one: to discharge one's duties as a citizen. Execute means either to carry out an order or to carry through a plan or program: to execute a maneuver. Transact, meaning to conduct or manage, has commercial connotations: to transact business.
Other Word Forms
- misperform verb
- overperform verb
- performable adjective
- performer noun
- reperform verb (used with object)
- self-performed adjective
- unperformable adjective
- unperformed adjective
- unperforming adjective
- well-performed adjective
Etymology
Origin of perform
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English parformen, from Anglo-French parformer, alteration (by association with forme form ) of Middle French, Old French parfournir “to accomplish”; per-, furnish
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I didn't mind seeing that, because Salah is no different from any other player - if he is not performing, you drop him.
From BBC
"Therefore, in order to validate quantum computers, methods are needed to compare theory and result without waiting years for a supercomputer to perform the same task."
From Science Daily
The Guardian's five-star review said the show is "imaginatively staged, immaculately performed and utterly winning", while the Telegraph described it as a "funny, feel-good, family-friendly musical that looks set to run and run".
From BBC
They came from their long-term temporary place in Highland Park to see Kim Theory perform.
From Los Angeles Times
“When they first invited me, I was like, ‘I can’t believe that I had this opportunity, because there’s a lot of artists that couldn’t perform in there, even having legendary songs.’
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
