petrified

verb

Definition of petrifiednext
past tense of petrify
as in exhausted
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of petrified The first film follows a group of French high-school students who travel to Naples on a school trip to discover the ruins of Pompeii and the bodies petrified by Vesuvius. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 20 May 2026 Johansson plays her with a tough edge to match her Queens accent, but Hester is clearly petrified by this perfect storm of ugly events. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026 In group chats and meetings, Republicans are privately petrified the Iran war could cost them the midterms. — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petrified
  1. exhausted
  2. undermined
  3. drained
  4. weakened
  5. dehydrated
  6. desiccated
  7. castrated
  8. wore
Verb
  • In their initial contract with the district, employees who exhausted their regular sick leave were given a five-month differential pay period where they were paid at the rate of a substitute.
    — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 15 July 2026
  • About half of Florida's 242 death row inmates have exhausted their appeals and could see their death warrant issued at any time.
    — CBS Miami Team, CBS News, 13 July 2026
Definition of exhausted
Verb
  • The Administration has already undermined the agreement in many ways, experts tell TIME, citing the discord in February, when the bloc had to freeze the implementation of the agreement after Trump made additional tariff threats.
    — Tiago Ventura, Time, 9 July 2026
  • Insecurity in farming communities, weak productivity, inadequate extension services and poor incentives have severely undermined cotton cultivation.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 6 July 2026
Definition of undermined
Verb
  • There’s a collective draw toward the general aesthetic vision on offer here — cold, computerized, humanity-drained — and the frictionless insularity of the characters’ lives.
    — Nick H. Penniman, Rolling Stone, 15 July 2026
  • After Sunday’s loss to Arizona he was scheduled to have his left knee drained and likely will receive an injection.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of drained
Verb
  • Some frogs may have been sleeping, weakened, injured, or otherwise compromised before being captured.
    — Jay Kakade July 13, New Atlas, 14 July 2026
  • Most people who are exposed to Legionella bacteria don’t get sick at all, but vulnerable groups can include people who are over 50, who vape or smoke, or who have weakened immune systems or underlying health conditions like diabetes or lung disease.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
Definition of weakened
Verb
  • The next best thing to intravenous intervention when dehydrated is Liquid IV.
    — Abbey Hudetz, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
  • Skipping Water First Thing in the Morning After several hours of sleep, your body naturally wakes up mildly dehydrated.
    — Sarah Jividen, Verywell Health, 7 July 2026
Definition of dehydrated
Verb
  • Her flesh is desiccated and gray, her hands and feet are jagged claws, and her breath comes out in rasps.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2026
  • Mahdi and Khadija had been struck by drought, and their bed was dry and desiccated, waterless down to its depths.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
Definition of desiccated
Verb
  • Earlier this month, on Monday, June 8, Municipal Court Judge Louis Sancinito found Lowe guilty of possessing the deer without a permit, interfering with a conservation officer attempting to confiscate the animal, and having Rudy illegally castrated.
    — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 15 June 2026
  • Seemingly to help stave off temptation, a half dozen of the 18 male cult members who died had been surgically castrated, according to The New York Times, including Applewhite.
    — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 8 June 2026
Definition of castrated
Verb
  • The Marty Supreme actor wore a sporty tracksuit with the team emblem and blue, white, and red panelling, plus a pair of oval sunglasses and silver sneakers.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 15 July 2026
  • Scott Mellin, was credited with transforming Salomon from a niche French outdoor performance label to the billion-dollar streetwear brand Rihanna wore for the 2023 Super Bowl halftime stage.
    — Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 15 July 2026
Definition of wore

Browse Nearby Words

pet peeves
petrified
petrifies
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Cite this Entry

“Petrified.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petrified. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on petrified

Nglish: Translation of petrified for Spanish Speakers

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