petrified

Definition of petrifiednext
past tense of petrify

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 See All Example Sentences for petrified
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petrified
Verb
  • And Louis, perhaps exhausted from his spree of bouts, but also perhaps looking past Schmeling, hadn’t trained much.
    Vann R. Newkirk II, The Atlantic, 19 June 2026
  • Once the trust fund is exhausted, the system will continue to receive payroll and self-employment taxes each year.
    Bob Carlson, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Verb
  • Over his 18-year tenure at the Fed, Greenspan embodied the omnipotent technocrat — a legacy critics say was fatally undermined by his failure to spot the 2008 housing bubble.
    Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 22 June 2026
  • Only one in five workers was fully engaged; one in seven actively undermined the firm.
    Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026
Verb
  • Perhaps unsurprisingly, the National Mall fixture has turned an algae green (this often happens after it is drained for maintenance).
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 20 June 2026
  • Rumors swirled that Lachlan and his Scottish country mates — the traveling pep squad known as the Tartan Army — had drained the pub of all its beer on Sunday night.
    Geoff Edgers, Washington Post, 19 June 2026
Verb
  • The decision weakened the federal Voting Rights Act’s protections against racially discriminatory redistricting.
    SIMEON GATES, ABC News, 25 June 2026
  • Brexit’s tortuous complexity weakened governance and led to parliamentary deadlock.
    Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • If your skin has been looking a little dull, dehydrated, or uneven after long days in the sun, this milky toner is here to restore your glow.
    Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 19 June 2026
  • Fans will want to drink plenty of water to avoid getting dehydrated as the elevation will impact those who have not acclimated to the thinner air yet.
    Aaron Mentkowski, New York Times, 11 June 2026
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
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
Verb
  • The Nike Air Max Joga Bonito R9 mashes up the boot Ronaldo wore for the 1998 World Cup with the Air Max 95.
    Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 22 June 2026
  • Witherspoon wore a hot pink plunging Prada gown to the occasion—perfectly on brand for Elle.
    Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 22 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Petrified.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petrified. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.

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