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
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Recent Examples of petrify
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
Nearly every day brings a fresh breach of what were once thought to be the rules, moves that have thrilled his insurgent supporters and petrified his nervous opponents.
—Peter Baker, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petrify
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
Nearly every day brings a fresh breach of what were once thought to be the rules, moves that have thrilled his insurgent supporters and petrified his nervous opponents.
—Peter Baker, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petrify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petrify
Verb
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The alleged threat is portrayed as undermining First Amendment protections for freedom of association, which concerns the ability of groups to engage in expression and group activities without government interference.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
15 June 2026
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So, Sacramento needs to undermine the demagogic manufacturers by stepping up vote counting while keeping elections virtually fraud-free.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Verb
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The screenplay grows more complex and rewarding as the central relationship weakens, effectively forcing Sonya to deal with her exhausting boyfriend (Levon Hawke) and pushing Coley to connect with her father who, for whatever reason, spends a lot of time hand-making turquoise jewelry.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
16 June 2026
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This, of course, is problematic for the homegrown haters because the opposing opinion from neutral outsiders weakens their argument and should strengthen our resolve.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
Verb
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The hotel’s wellness center offers Ayurvedic herbal scrubs, Reiki, hydrotherapy, lymphatic draining massages, colonics and acupuncture.—
Sandra Guzmán,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
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Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
Verb
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Another advantage of long and narrow leaves is their ability to withstand heavy rainfall and battering or desiccating winds.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
4 June 2026
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Her flesh is desiccated and gray, her hands and feet are jagged claws, and her breath comes out in rasps.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Her blood loss was reportedly so severe that the hospital exhausted its supply of her blood type during treatment.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
18 June 2026
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Jones countered with more than $25 million from his own family fortune, fueling a contest that left both candidates bruised and voters exhausted.—
Greg Bluestein,
AJC.com,
17 June 2026
Verb
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As pests crawl through it, its jagged edges scrape their exoskeletons, dehydrating and killing them.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
18 June 2026
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Store in the fridge, dry, freeze, dehydrate, or keep in water to extend freshness.—
Heather Bien,
The Spruce,
15 June 2026
Verb
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The impact of that shocking final scene is sufficient to send viewers out feeling enervated after what’s been a pretty desultory final act.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
24 May 2026
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Campbell, the North Carolina folk singer, describes an enervating process marked by back-and-forth exchanges and lots of waiting.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Earlier this month, on Monday, June 8, Municipal Court Judge Louis Sancinito found Lowe guilty of possessing the deer without a permit, interfering with a conservation officer attempting to confiscate the animal, and having Rudy illegally castrated.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
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Seemingly to help stave off temptation, a half dozen of the 18 male cult members who died had been surgically castrated, according to The New York Times, including Applewhite.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Petrify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petrify. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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