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
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 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
-
Court records show Sorsby wagered at least $90,000, including bets on Indiana football, as the NCAA warns the ruling could destabilize college sports and undermine competitive integrity.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
But that kind of moderation bottleneck undermined the Polymath vision.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Over the course of two summers, the Kings weakened the fulcrum of their roster by losing Matt Roy and Vladislav Gavrikov in free agency, then exacerbating matters by casting off Jordan Spence for a modest return.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
9 June 2026
-
The acid can etch, discolor, or weaken stone and concrete.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
If anything, you’re getting called out for committing to people, places and things that have been low-key draining you.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
11 June 2026
-
Just be sure to plant it in well-draining loamy or sandy soil in a location that receives 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
Trapped by high interest rates and the cumulative weight of inflation, the bottom 80 percent of earners are aggressively pulling back on discretionary goods, exhausting credit options and downgrading to private-label and discount brands.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
10 June 2026
-
On Tuesday, the Social Security Administration said the federal program is at risk of exhausting its trust fund as soon as 2023.—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
This highly versatile countertop convection oven can roast, bake, air fry, dehydrate and more.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
8 June 2026
-
As a result of the unsuitable conditions, Stevie was starving and dehydrated.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
Under colonial rule hijras were accused of acting as male prostitutes and of kidnapping and castrating children to grow their community.—
Charles Preston,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
28 May 2026
-
If the very successful 25-year-old Coward had been caught with a man, he could have been jailed or chemically castrated.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Petrify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petrify. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
