PETRIFYING Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

petrifying

verb

Definition of petrifying

present participle of petrify

as in undermining

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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for petrifying

Verb

Desalination is becoming increasingly popular, especially as the climate crisis drives more severe heat and drought, undermining water security.

— Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
Western officials have repeatedly accused Moscow of conducting a campaign of sabotage and disruption in their countries with the aim of undermining support for Ukraine and destabilizing European nations, something Russia denies.

— Claudia Ciobanu, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of undermining

Verb

Commanders should seek positional advantages without exhausting their soldiers, manipulate the enemy’s movements when possible, and recognize when circumstances make pursuit or attack unwise.

— Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Sep. 2026
The dispute has become even more complicated because some members of the 2022 class pursued professional opportunities after exhausting their eligibility under the previous system.

— Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of exhausting

Verb

What is clear is that Keith and Camilla’s search for answers is time-consuming, mentally draining and deeply frustrating, compounded by their grief and not helped by what feels like a lack of accountability.

— Stuart James, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Condensation water was draining slowly from the walk-in cooler at the floor drain.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of draining

Verb

Rising operational and financing costs, weakening global demand and shifting trade dynamics ultimately led the board of directors to discontinue operations, the company said.

— Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 11 Sep. 2026
An effective Houthi blockade of Bab al-Mandeb would open a new front in the war with Iran and could require US military intervention, potentially weakening Washington’s ability to keep ships moving through Hormuz.

— Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of weakening

Verb

Pisces February 19 – March 20 A busy day could reveal where your routine has been quietly wearing you down.

— Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 7 Sep. 2026
After shooting Lino in the foot, the stranger reveals himself as Father Joe (Kiefer Sutherland), an actual priest who takes on Manhattan’s drug dealers wearing his work clothes.

— Damon Wise, Deadline, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of wearing

Verb

Each presents a group portrait of a handful of disaffected British suburbanites—husbands who resent their deadening jobs, toddlers who whine and interrupt, and, above all, hassled wives subsumed by a crush of household obligations.

— Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
Sam Lambert laid down a safety squeeze, deadening the ball in front of the plate and scoring Balls to trim the lead to 3-1.

— Dave Montrose, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 May 2026

Definition of deadening

Verb

In the Rocky Mountains, years of extreme heat and drought have baked the landscape, drying up streams that feed the Colorado River and desiccating pastures where cattle graze.

— Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Suddenly, pest populations are large enough to make a meaningful impact, and one too many afternoons of 100+ degree weather have begun desiccating leaves.

— Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of desiccating

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.

Browse Nearby Words

petrify

petrifying

pets

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Petrifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petrifying. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of petrifying

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

shofar

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes