perform

Syllables: per·formUK/pəˈfɔːm//pɚˈfoɹm/

perform verb: to do (something); to execute.

Image: Augustus Binu : flickr, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Verb

perform (third-person singular simple present performs, present participle performing, simple past and past participle performed)

(transitive) To do (something); to execute.
- The scientists performed several experiments.
- It took him only twenty minutes to perform the task.
(intransitive) To exhibit an expected pattern of behavior; to function; to work.
- The new employee performs well.
- I could care less how she perform when she in the bed2003, “P.I.M.P.”, in Get Rich or Die Tryin', performed by 50 Cent
1. (intransitive, uncommon) Of a man, to be able to initiate or fulfill an act of sexual intercourse.
(transitive) To act in accordance with (a contract); to fulfill one’s terms of (a contract).
- Failure to perform a contract on time may constitute a breach of contract.
(intransitive) To fulfill contractually agreed-to terms.
- They entered into an agreement and now they are obliged to perform.
(ambitransitive) To do (something) in front of an audience, such as acting or music, often in order to entertain.
- She will perform in the play.
- The magician performed badly—none of his tricks worked.
(broadly, transitive) To behave theatrically so as to give the impression of (a quality, character trait, etc.); to feign.
- The accused only performed remorse.
- As things now stand, Brexit is a pointless gesture, a politics of headlines in which sovereignty is performed by bleating world-beating absurdities.2021, David Edgerton, “The one good thing to come out of Brexit: a bonfire of national illusions”, in The Guardian
(transitive) To behave in accordance with, and thereby in turn shape, (a social notion or role).
- perform masculinity
- perform authority
(intransitive) To behave in ways that carry meaning in social contexts.
- Individuals in societies perform all the time.

perform meaning in Hindi, Tamil, Urdu and Bengali

perform in Hindi

to perform: पालन करना pālan karnā
to perform; direct; instigate: चालना cālnā

perform in Tamil

செய், செயல்படு, செயற்படுத்து, நடி, திறமையைக் காட்டு

perform in Bengali

সম্পাদন করা, সম্পন্ন করা, কার্যে পরিণত করা, অভিনয় করা, কার্যকর করা, পারা

More languagesFewer languages

perform in Telugu: ప్రదర్శించు pradarśiñcu
perform in Malayalam: ചെയ്യുക ceyyuka
perform in Kannada: ಆಚರಿಸು ācarisu
perform in Sanskrit: निर्वाहयति nirvāhayati, कॢप् kḷp, विधा vidhā, व्यवस्था vyavasthā
perform in Assamese: কৰ kor
perform in Nepali: गर्नु garnu
perform in Arabic: أَدَّى ʔaddā
perform in Vietnamese: biểu diễn

Examples of perform in a sentence

The string quartet performed three pieces by Haydn.
Perform a part thou hast not done before.c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies...
Even before her seven decades as monarch began, she performed Britishness more intuitively than anyone ever had, or likely ever will again.2022 September 9, Sophie Gilbert, “No One Performed Britishness Better Than Her Majesty”, in The Atlantic:

All 40 example sentences with perform

Forms of perform

third-person singular present	performs
present participle	performing
past participle	performed
past	performed
alternative form	performe
second-person singular present (archaic)	performest
second-person singular past (archaic)	performedst
third-person singular present (archaic)	performeth

Past tense of perform: performed

Origin of perform

From Middle English parformen, performen (“to perform”), from Anglo-Norman performer, parfourmer, alteration of Old French parfornir, parfurnir (“to complete, accomplish, perform”), from par- + fornir, furnir (“to accomplish, furnish”), from Frankish *frummjan (“to accomplish, furnish”), from Proto-Germanic *frumjaną, *framjaną (“to further, promote”), from Proto-Indo-European *promo- (“in front, forth”), *per- (“forward, out”). Cognate with Old High German frummen (“to do, execute, accomplish, provide”), Old Saxon frummian (“to perform, promote”), Old English fremman (“to perform, execute, carry out, accomplish”). See also frame, from. Modernly, rather than Proto-Germanic *frumjaną, associated with Latin formō, analyzable as per- + form.

Words formed from perform

Words that rhyme with perform

9 more rhymesFewer rhymes

Questions about perform

What does perform mean?: Perform means to do (something); to execute.
What is perform in Hindi?: Perform in Hindi is पालन करना (pālan karnā), चालना (cālnā). See Perform meaning in Hindi.
How do you use perform in a sentence?: The string quartet performed three pieces by Haydn.
What part of speech is perform?: Perform is a verb.
How do you pronounce perform?: Perform is pronounced /pəˈfɔːm/ (UK).
What is the past tense of perform?: The past tense of perform is performed.

Words near perform in the dictionary

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: en-us-perform.ogg.

Cite this entry: “perform.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/perform. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.