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
Relevance
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
Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 28 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petrifies
Verb
-
Sketches are a bit punchier and backdrops more elaborate, though not in a way that undermines the Muppets’ scrappy, analog aesthetic.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
-
And the Australian the system relies on lump-sum withdrawals, which undermines lifetime income security.—
Teresa Ghilarducci,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
When CEOs treat financial advice as a substitute for judgment, leadership starts to erode, decisions slow down, and conviction weakens.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Trump’s focus on the Western Hemisphere — as a show of might that weakens China’s geostrategic influence, Nikkei wrote.—
Manal Albarakati,
semafor.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Saying yes to work that fills time but drains energy is a financial choice, whether it's labeled that way or not.—
Jennifer Jay Palumbo,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The batteries therefore can’t release as much energy, which cuts down their range and sometimes drains them faster.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But freedom of expression is a constant pursuit, as natural as breathing, and silencing it is an imperfect practice that exhausts the oppressor and energizes the oppressed.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Gauff’s movement often exhausts her opponents.—
Merlisa Lawrence Corbett,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The film fully wears its heart on its sleeve, telling an earnest (if familiar) story of love and commitment through hardship.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Instead, everyone wears high-quality socks, preferably ones made out of Merino wool, like these Smartwool crew socks.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Drink more water, too, since vomiting dehydrates you.—
Katie Way,
SELF,
19 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Petrifies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petrifies. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
