perpetrate + crime/offence
Describe committing a harmful act
Perpetrate is commonly used with crimes or wrongdoing.
The group perpetrated several attacks last year.
How to use perpetrate with prepositions
Perpetrate usually takes a direct object such as crime, fraud, or attack. It does not normally form fixed combinations with by or on.
Quick answer
Which form is correct?
Perpetrate is typically followed directly by the harmful act: perpetrate a crime, perpetrate fraud. In passive sentences, by can introduce the offender. On usually goes with the noun describing the victim or target, not directly with perpetrate.
The fraud was perpetrated by two employees.
They perpetrated a hoax on their friends.
They perpetrated a hoax on their friends.
Choose the pattern by meaning
These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.
perpetrated by + person
Name the offender in passive voice
By introduces the person or group responsible.
The theft was perpetrated by an insider.
perpetrate a trick on + person
Show the target of a prank or harmful act
On belongs with the noun phrase describing the act and its target.
They perpetrated a cruel joke on the new student.
See the difference in context
The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.
Construction
Example
Meaning
perpetrate by
The attack was perpetrated by a criminal network.
By is natural in passive voice to identify the offender.
perpetrate on
They perpetrated a fraud on investors.
On introduces the victim or target of the fraud, not a fixed verb-preposition pattern.
perpetrate against
Crimes perpetrated against civilians were investigated.
Against is common when naming victims or targets.
Common mistakes
Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.
Using perpetrate without an object
Perpetrate normally needs a noun describing the harmful act.
✕ They perpetrated on tourists. ✓ They perpetrated fraud on tourists.Treating on as a direct partner of perpetrate
On usually relates to the victim of the act.
✓ The scam was perpetrated on elderly customers.Using perpetrate for positive actions
Perpetrate is used for harmful, criminal, or negative acts.
✕ She perpetrated a generous donation. ✓ She made a generous donation.Quick practice
Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.
1. The cyberattack was perpetrated ___ a foreign group.
2. They perpetrated a fraud ___ investors.
3. Which sentence is most natural? ___
Check your sentence in context
Paste the complete sentence below. Linguix checks the preposition together with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style.
Free to try · No signup required
Frequently asked questions
Can I say perpetrate on someone?
Not by itself. Use a noun for the act, such as perpetrate a fraud on someone.
Is perpetrate always negative?
Yes. It is strongly associated with crimes, violence, or harmful acts.
What nouns commonly follow perpetrate?
Common objects include crime, fraud, attack, violence, massacre, and offence.
Related preposition guides
Write with confidence in Linguix
Create a free account to check complete texts, apply suggestions, and save your documents.
