as in to undermine
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality
groupthink and peer pressure have so petrified the thinking of the company's top brass that they haven't produced an innovative product in years
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Recent Examples of petrify
Some three-dimensional metallic roses grew on their shiny reflective surfaces, with an important symbolism that served as a fit rouge for the entire collection: as fragile objects suddenly petrified, their hardened fragility was the designer’s own.
—
Giorgia Feroldi, Vogue, 1 Mar. 2025
He was petrified by the thought of dying of cancer or some other disease whose senselessness disgusted him.
—Ian Buruma, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025
Medusa was known in ancient Greece for petrifying anyone who dared to look her in the eye, and has been seen as a personification of madness.
—Sarah Belmont, ARTnews.com, 17 Dec. 2024
Numb to controversy: After constant scandals, Trump is desensitized to infernos that would petrify anyone else in business or politics.
—Axios, 25 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for petrify
Giorgia Feroldi, Vogue, 1 Mar. 2025
He was petrified by the thought of dying of cancer or some other disease whose senselessness disgusted him.
—Ian Buruma, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025
Medusa was known in ancient Greece for petrifying anyone who dared to look her in the eye, and has been seen as a personification of madness.
—Sarah Belmont, ARTnews.com, 17 Dec. 2024
Numb to controversy: After constant scandals, Trump is desensitized to infernos that would petrify anyone else in business or politics.
—Axios, 25 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for petrify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petrify
Verb
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The current United squad may lack attributes needed for Amorim’s preferred tactical system to thrive, but yesterday exhibited a lack of mental focus that undermined every major action.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
12 May 2025
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His mini-rehabilitation tour in the media is, in accustomed Biden fashion, doing more to undermine his case for himself than buttress it.—
Rich Lowry,
National Review,
9 May 2025
Verb
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Others may develop it after pregnancy, as the muscles and ligaments around the uterus can loosen or weaken.—
Brandi Jones,
Health,
10 May 2025
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This weakens their ability to tailor experiences and erodes marketing efficiency.—
Amit Jhawar,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
Verb
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The arena goes icily silent, punctuated by some half-hearted boos as the clock drains down.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
-
Today's Amazon deals are built to level up your setup without draining your wallet.—
Shubham Yewale,
PC Magazine,
1 May 2025
Verb
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Not only that, but decades of persistent drought and warming temperatures have desiccated reservoirs along the Rio Grande and its tributary, the Chama River.—
Laura Paskus,
The Denver Post,
11 Mar. 2025
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Notes of old cream sherry, desiccated coconut, and toffee add complexity.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
Verb
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To the elderly and those already exhausted by their efforts to get this far, this simply became an insurmountable barrier.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
9 May 2025
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After exhausting the questions, Witt posed for a picture with the entire class.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
7 May 2025
Verb
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Lichens that are not dehydrated are more prone to damage from ionizing radiation.—
Elizabeth Rayne,
ArsTechnica,
19 Apr. 2025
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Saunas can stimulate your metabolism. Don’t expect to shave off major pounds per sauna session (that wouldn’t be healthy and would likely be dehydrating, Dr. Shen points out).—
Mara Santilli,
Flow Space,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
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This relationship, when successful, tends to enervate mediating institutions that thwart the immediate desires of both the populist leader and the public.—
Cameron Hilditch,
National Review,
28 Feb. 2021
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The saving grace of this often enervating thriller is that Doscher grants time for his actors to build character and intimacy, and both Pinto and Odom offer warm, affectingly natural performances as two people facing the end of their world.—
Teo Bugbee,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2020
Verb
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The victims are all male, the corpses all castrated, and each crime scene is signed with lines of poetry by the Argentinean writer Alejandra Pizarnik.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2025
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In an unnamed city, a man has been murdered and castrated, his body left in an alley.—
Katie Kitamura,
New York Times,
25 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Petrify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petrify. Accessed 16 May. 2025.
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