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
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
He was petrified by the thought of dying of cancer or some other disease whose senselessness disgusted him.
—Ian Buruma, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025
Medusa was known in ancient Greece for petrifying anyone who dared to look her in the eye, and has been seen as a personification of madness.
—Sarah Belmont, ARTnews.com, 17 Dec. 2024
The body was supposedly petrified by sap, and the loggers found several gold coins dating to the late 1600s, as well as pieces of paper identifying the person as Pierre D’Artagnan.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 7 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for petrify
Peter Baker, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
He was petrified by the thought of dying of cancer or some other disease whose senselessness disgusted him.
—Ian Buruma, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025
Medusa was known in ancient Greece for petrifying anyone who dared to look her in the eye, and has been seen as a personification of madness.
—Sarah Belmont, ARTnews.com, 17 Dec. 2024
The body was supposedly petrified by sap, and the loggers found several gold coins dating to the late 1600s, as well as pieces of paper identifying the person as Pierre D’Artagnan.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 7 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for petrify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petrify
Verb
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Does this argument fit the full suite of facts, or are there inconvenient findings that undermine the argument?—
Big Think,
Big Think,
10 Feb. 2026
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Bailey asserted that retiree speech could still undermine good order and discipline, and denied that Hegseth’s actions would extend the reach of the military’s punitive powers over retirees.—
Missy Ryan,
The Atlantic,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Investors don’t want to inadvertently cheer on weakening job growth that could negatively impact consumer spending and economic growth, hurting stock prices.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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The National Weather Service says the ridge keeping California dry since last month is beginning to weaken.—
Monica Garske,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Drain and reserve about 1/2 cup cooking water, and drain pasta.—
Martha Stewart,
Martha Stewart,
5 Feb. 2026
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The Bulldogs drew up a play for Jake Heidbreder, who calmly drained an open 18-footer on the left baseline at the buzzer and was mobbed by students spilling out of the Save Mart Center stands.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Salt products desiccate grass, and freeze/thaw cycles cause frost heaving, leaving lumpy, uneven areas.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
13 Jan. 2026
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Indoor conditions tend to be dry during the winter, so placing pots on top of saucers with pea gravel that is kept moist on a regular basis increases needed humidity and prevents leaves from desiccating.—
Special to The Denver Post,
Denver Post,
12 Nov. 2025
Verb
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At some point, those fuel sources will be exhausted, no further energy will be naturally extracted from what remains within them, and those once-brilliant objects will fade away into darkness.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Feb. 2026
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On Wednesday, more than 200 repair crews were at work in Kyiv to restore power, according to the Ukrainian Energy Ministry, which said that staff were exhausted and would be rotated.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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When you're dehydrated, your body releases vasopressin, a hormone that signals the kidneys to conserve water.—
Kathleen Ferraro,
Verywell Health,
4 Feb. 2026
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It was severely dehydrated and sluggish.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The results are often enervating though sometimes clumsy.—
Eli Enis,
Pitchfork,
3 Feb. 2026
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This may reframe his friend’s enervating habit.—
Hope Hunt,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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There was a serial castrator on the Upper West Side who would take kids, lead ’m into Central Park, castrate them, and then murder them.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
28 Jan. 2026
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Before long a steer, or castrated bull, named Sue gingerly wanders into the Darwin home.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Petrify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petrify. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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