During swallowing, it contracts, elevating the soft palate to help prevent food from entering the nasopharynx.

[2] Additional fibres of the muscle arise from the inferior aspect of the cartilaginous part of pharyngotympanic tube, and the vaginal process of sphenoid bone.

[2] In the medial third of the soft palate, its fibers spread out between the two strands of the palatoglossus muscle to attach to the superior surface of the palatine aponeurosis and intermingle with fibres of its contralateral partner.

[2] The levator veli palatini muscle receives motor innervation from the vagus nerve (CN X)[citation needed] via the pharyngeal plexus.

[citation needed] The primary action of the muscle is to elevate and draw posterior-ward the nearly vertical posterior portion of the soft palate; thereby, the soft palate is brought into contact with the posterior wall of the pharynx, thus creating a barrier between the nasopharynx and oropharynx.