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
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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
Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 28 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petrifies
Verb
-
This debt burden leads to higher stress and sleepless nights, and directly undermines the focus and efficiency of Americans in their prime working years.—
Mary Moreland,
Fortune,
17 May 2026
-
And the election data completely undermines the argument that voters were confused.—
Jovani Patterson,
Baltimore Sun,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
As complexity rises, decisions fragment, priorities shift and trust weakens.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
Excluding unhoused people from public spaces reinforces stigma and weakens the social bonds that support stability and recovery.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Leaking faucets, pipes, and air conditioning units should be repaired, and the ground next to the foundation should be sloped so that surface water drains away from the building.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
14 May 2026
-
Most varieties prefer full sun to partial shade and rich, slightly acidic soil that drains well.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
If the search for a large outdoor planter exhausts you—just get a terra-cotta planter.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
6 Apr. 2026
-
As the oil blockade quickly exhausts Cuba’s supply of fuel, triggering a series of lengthy, island-wide blackouts, many here are exhausted and are becoming increasingly vocal about their desire for fundamental changes in Cuba.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Julianne Hough wears her shorty-shorts to show off her glorious dancer legs at the Disney Upfront in New York City on May 12.—
People Staff,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
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Most of the shirts Mason wears follow a visual script that is different from your standardized button-downs.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Alcohol While a cold glass of beer or a mixed drink may feel refreshing in the moment, alcohol dehydrates you.—
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
14 May 2026
-
Why Water Wins Flying dehydrates the body.—
Jill Robbins,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Apr. 2026
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
Cite this Entry
“Petrifies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petrifies. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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