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
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Critics are alarmed by its presence at the White House, saying the group promotes extreme views and undermines public schools.—
Collin Binkley,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
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But this undermines the premise of personal style.—
Theara Coleman,
TheWeek,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Even if the petrodollar weakens, dollar dominance still rests on other factors that other currencies can’t match, according to Paul Blustein, a scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
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When asked to comment, Apple pointed to previous statements, saying that the DMA discourages innovation, weakens privacy protections, delays or degrades product launches and increases security risks.—
Kai Nicol-Schwarz,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There’s a queerness to Mantello’s vision, including a blurring of gender associations that begins with its leads and radiates throughout, that ultimately drains the drama of its potency.—
Naveen Kumar,
Variety,
10 Apr. 2026
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Make sure the water from dehumidifiers and air conditioners drains somewhere that easily dries up.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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If the search for a large outdoor planter exhausts you—just get a terra-cotta planter.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
6 Apr. 2026
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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
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Glosserman even pointed to a familiar GEICO insurance commercial — featuring a masked killer who, much like Leslie Vernon, wears no shoes and overalls — as an example of how their cult film’s visual language has seeped into the mainstream.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
10 Apr. 2026
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To do what was once unthinkable in the fashion the Sabres did this season starts with Dahlin, a leader who wears his heart on his sleeve every night and competes over every inch of the ice.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Forgetting to Stay Hydrated While there's a widespread perception that coffee dehydrates, that's not necessarily true.—
Sohaib Imtiaz,
Verywell Health,
20 Jan. 2026
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Drink more water, too, since vomiting dehydrates you.—
Katie Way,
SELF,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
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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 16 Apr. 2026.
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