Synonyms of petrify

petrify

verb

ˈpe-trə-ˌfī 

as in to undermine

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

• undermine
• weaken
• drain
• desiccate
• exhaust
• dehydrate
• enervate
• castrate
• wear
• devitalize
• deaden
• damp
• dampen
• lobotomize
• discourage
• debilitate
• enfeeble
• sap
• geld
• wear out
• burn out
• fatigue
• daunt
• dishearten
• demoralize
• tucker (out)
• dispirit
• do in

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• stimulate
• energize
• enliven
• invigorate
• vitalize
• stir
• quicken
• vivify
• arouse
• rouse
• brace
• electrify
• provoke
• galvanize
• excite
• charge
• incite
• trigger
• fire
• inspire
• ferment
• lift
• inflame
• whip (up)
• instigate
• spark
• fortify
• foment
• kindle
• revive
• cheer
• boost
• regenerate
• renew
• hearten
• resurrect
• embolden
• refresh
• abet
• revitalize
• reanimate
• reactivate
• buoy
• reawaken
• rejuvenate
• resuscitate
• recharge
• rekindle
• reenergize
• reawake

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of petrify

The filmmaker leans pop-comic rather than petrifying in his final draft, opting for earnestness that smothers atmospheric dread. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Feb. 2026

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

You'll be petrified by the violence inflicted upon boys who only wanted a chance to pull their families out of financial duress and have an opportunity at a comfortable life afforded to most of us sitting in our seats. — Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 13 Sep. 2025

So don’t go around being petrified of having your esophagus rupture someday. — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025