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
Relevance
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 only issue is his mother Laura (Wright), a woman who has lost a child once before and is petrified of a repeat.
—
Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petrified
Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petrified
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petrified
Verb
-
They're exhausted by the constant airing of grievances having little to do with what's actually going on in the country, and by the broad generalizations about, well, everything, that ignore context, nuance and facts to promote a political viewpoint.—
Brenda Looper,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
-
But critically, there's a gaping hole in the offensive line following the departure of left tackle Dorion Strawn, who exhausted his eligibility.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Their abuses have taken lives, traumatized communities, and undermined the work and reputations of local, state, and federal law enforcement officers who continue to be guided by their oaths.—
Chris Mattei,
Hartford Courant,
6 Feb. 2026
-
However, investigations have found that VA undermined the MISSION Act’s access standards for community care eligibility since the law’s passage.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Once behind the panel, there should be a hose where the excess water can be drained from the outer drum.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Soil and Water When choosing a place in your yard for skeleton flower plants, select loamy, well-drained, yet moist soil that is rich in organic matter—think forest floor, not a sunny vegetable garden.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Bass, who was politically weakened by her performance during the fire and its aftermath, was already facing more than two dozen challengers looking to oust her in the June 2 primary — the vast majority little known to the public and not expected to pose any threat.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
New York — US stocks dropped Thursday, continuing a recent patch of volatility, as Wall Street grappled with persistent nerves about artificial intelligence and economic data showed the labor market weakened over the past two months.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Silver or white roots indicate the plant is dehydrated.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
13 Feb. 2026
-
When you're even slightly dehydrated, your body’s ability to produce energy drops.—
Kathleen Ferraro,
Verywell Health,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Try to get a look below the surface—if anything is broken, damaged, rotten, or desiccated, a simple trim could help.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Sereno proposes that the creatures’ carcasses were first desiccated in a drought before suddenly being engulfed by sediment—likely brought on by a flood.—
Andrea Tamayo,
Scientific American,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Set in the Italian opera world of the 1700s, Rice’s novel tells the not-for-the-squeamish story of two male soprano singers who were castrated as boys in order to maintain their high voices.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
12 Nov. 2025
-
The book follows two men pursuing opera in 18th-century Italy — one, named Guido, is castrated to preserve his soprano singing voice, and the other, Tonio, is castrated by his brother Carlo in an attempt to control their family line.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
12 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Cody Powers said that his mother wore State Farm sweatshirts and T-shirts and entered every promotion the company offered.—
J.C. Hallman,
Oklahoman,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Complex magazine also reported that the number may have served as a tribute to the singer's late uncle, who wore 64 as a football player.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Petrified.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petrified. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
