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
  • Najmi’s dual role as a lawyer practicing before city judges and as chair of the screening committee creates at least the appearance of a conflict of interest that undermines the very purpose of the committee’s existence.
    — Christian Browne, New York Daily News, 18 July 2026
  • Reducing legitimate scientific disagreement to accusations of prejudice undermines that effort.
    — Torie Bosch, STAT, 18 July 2026
Definition of undermines
Verb
  • That weakens the case for mediation as protection without producing a replacement, which is why Qatar will keep it rather than trade it.
    — Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
  • As the rest of the world buys its assets, the reserve currency is structurally overvalued and weakens competitiveness.
    — Philipp Carlsson-Szlezak, Fortune, 17 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 image, Camilla wears a bright blue dress and a diamond and sapphire butterfly brooch, which was presented to the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1977.
    — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 17 July 2026
  • The custodian of this jewel is Amrit Maan, the fourth-generation owner of The Punjab and a man who wears more hats than any one human should reasonably be expected to.
    — Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of wears
Verb
  • 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
  • Pest Control Baking soda acts as a barrier that dehydrates slugs, causes ants to lose their scent trail, and keeps aphids away.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 30 May 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 23 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of petrifies for Spanish Speakers

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