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
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Recent Examples of petrified
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
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
-
The Cavaliers and Pistons have exhausted each other in a seven-game series that won’t end until Sunday, while the Knickerbockers have been off since last Sunday.—
Alex Kirshner,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
-
People are exhausted by the daily onslaught of bad headlines.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
This has undermined its credibility among investors too.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
-
Alabama had asked the Supreme Court to move quickly on the appeals following its landmark ruling last month that undermined Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.—
Melissa Quinn,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Snowball viburnum prefers moist, loamy soil that is well-drained but tolerates other soils.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
17 May 2026
-
At 92, the actress brought a blast of old Hollywood glamour to a festival that, this year especially, has often felt strangely drained of it.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
However, when the researchers adjusted the findings for other factors that can affect risk for the conditions, known as confounders — such as genetic and familial influences and the reasons for taking antidepressants — most links significantly weakened or disappeared.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
-
Starmer’s authority weakened after Labor’s poor performance in recent elections, blamed on policy missteps, economic struggles, and the prime minister’s controversial decisions, including appointing an ambassador with ties to Jeffrey Epstein.—
Pan Pylas,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
The hardcore ankle boots are now dehydrated and crumpled.—
Liana Satenstein,
Vogue,
8 May 2026
-
The resulting brew is dehydrated and packed with minerals and vital joint-supporting compounds.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
7 May 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
-
If the very successful 25-year-old Coward had been caught with a man, he could have been jailed or chemically castrated.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
20 Apr. 2026
-
After his conviction, Turing was chemically castrated.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Bella wore a gold dress from Michael Kors's spring 2023 ready-to-wear collection.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
-
In early March, Paris Jackson wore black slouchy over-the-knee boots to Vivienne Westwood’s fall 2026 show in Paris after choosing tighter sock-boot shapes earlier that week.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Petrified.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petrified. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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