petrified

Definition of petrifiednext
past tense of petrify

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 petrified The first film follows a group of French high-school students who travel to Naples on a school trip to discover the ruins of Pompeii and the bodies petrified by Vesuvius. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 20 May 2026 Johansson plays her with a tough edge to match her Queens accent, but Hester is clearly petrified by this perfect storm of ugly events. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026 In group chats and meetings, Republicans are privately petrified the Iran war could cost them the midterms. Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 16 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for petrified
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petrified
Verb
  • In the finals, Israel faced an Australian team already exhausted after fending off South Korea, Japan and Rhodesia (itself in the Asian tournament after being banned in Africa over its white governing regime).
    Deborah Danan, Sun Sentinel, 29 June 2026
  • For years, people have been frustrated and exhausted by the seemingly endless amount of swiping and small talk that go nowhere on dating apps.
    Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • Brilliant start undermined The first half hour of the match was played at the pace Ivory Coast desired with Les Elephants using their high press and long passes to consistently put Norway on its heels.
    Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 June 2026
  • Community opposition to temporary waste storage, which risks becoming permanent without a federal waste repository, further undermined the project.
    Ariel Cohen, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • These plants may not thrive in soil that's poorly drained or overly compacted.
    Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 29 June 2026
  • Something uncertain, something human, has been drained like blood from this world.
    Cal Revely-Calder, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • Yet finance, policy certainty and infrastructure weakened for the first time in more than a decade.
    Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • Internal fractures, economic decline and public frustration have weakened the movement and opened a new chapter of uncertainty.
    Armando Regil Velasco, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • On the morning of January 22nd, another boat, Dios Es Mi Guía (God Is My Guide) found them, sunburned and dehydrated.
    Will Freeman, New Yorker, 30 June 2026
  • Additionally, people who overexert during work or exercise may become dehydrated and susceptible to heat sickness.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • Mahdi and Khadija had been struck by drought, and their bed was dry and desiccated, waterless down to its depths.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
Verb
  • Most opponents wore red, the color that has united grassroots organizations across the city against data centers.
    Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 2 July 2026
  • Paltrow wore a black, strapless gown and buckled slippers, while Martin sported a two-tone brown-and-blue sweater over a white T-shirt, with brown corduroy pants and a stylishly thin belt.
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 2 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Petrified.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petrified. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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