petrifies

verb

present tense third-person singular of petrify
as in undermines
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 petrifies The former slingshots between harmony and hysteria; the latter petrifies its beauty under a haze of ashy gray powder. — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 28 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petrifies
  1. undermines
  2. weakens
  3. drains
  4. exhausts
  5. wears
  6. dehydrates
  7. castrates
  8. deadens
Verb
  • State leaders have introduced Assembly Bill 1383, which undermines crucial PEPRA guardrails, granting an unfunded pension benefit increase to first responders by reducing their retirement age.
    — Zachary Christensen, Oc Register, 24 July 2026
  • The San Francisco arts community has long prized its bohemia (which dates back to the late 1870s); and the past few months its members have accused the AI entrepreneurs and their ecosystem of bringing an emphasis on commerce that undermines bohemia.
    — Michael Bernick, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of undermines
Verb
  • Remove those resources, and the nominal tax rule remains unchanged while its practical effect weakens.
    — Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Prolonged screen time tightens the muscles that support the neck and weakens the deep neck flexors responsible for holding the head aligned over the spine.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2026
Definition of weakens
Verb
  • But pushing through outdoor events in 90+-degree weather drains cognitive reserves rather than replenishing them.
    — Nicole F. Roberts, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • Nutrient leaching when water drains out of containers and baskets adds to the problem.
    — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 July 2026
Definition of drains
Verb
  • Watching this scene, and much of the film, exhausts me.
    — Jenny Odell, Longreads, 2 June 2026
  • If the search for a large outdoor planter exhausts you—just get a terra-cotta planter.
    — Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 6 Apr. 2026
Definition of exhausts
Verb
  • In the clip, Karol wears full-glam and an oversized white hoodie, her dancers alongside her in matching get-ups.
    — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 25 July 2026
  • Jessica Alba wears some chic accessories while leaving the Beverly Hills Hotel on July 24.
    — People Staff, PEOPLE, 25 July 2026
Definition of wears
Verb
  • Despite the belief that coffee dehydrates you, experts say moderate coffee consumption can contribute to your daily water intake.
    — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 20 July 2026
  • Alcohol worsens sleep quality and dehydrates the body, while caffeine has a diuretic effect that encourages fluid loss and can raise body temperature.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of dehydrates
Verb
  • By way of example, Morris points to a scene in Wiseman's 1993 documentary Zoo, in which an all-women surgical team at Miami zoo castrates a wolf.
    — Chloe Veltman, NPR, 16 Feb. 2026
Definition of castrates
Verb
  • Oppressively hot, lie-down-and-take-a-nap hot, hydration-break hot, the kind of hot that deadens feet.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 10 July 2026
Definition of deadens

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Cite this Entry

“Petrifies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petrifies. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of petrifies for Spanish Speakers

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