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 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
But Ingrid is petrified of dying and tries to convince Martha there is still plenty worth living for.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 5 Oct. 2024
Some three-dimensional metallic roses grew on their shiny reflective surfaces, with an important symbolism that served as a fit rouge for the entire collection: as fragile objects suddenly petrified, their hardened fragility was the designer’s own.
—Giorgia Feroldi, Vogue, 1 Mar. 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
See All Example Sentences for petrify
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 7 Oct. 2024
But Ingrid is petrified of dying and tries to convince Martha there is still plenty worth living for.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 5 Oct. 2024
Some three-dimensional metallic roses grew on their shiny reflective surfaces, with an important symbolism that served as a fit rouge for the entire collection: as fragile objects suddenly petrified, their hardened fragility was the designer’s own.
—Giorgia Feroldi, Vogue, 1 Mar. 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
See All Example Sentences for petrify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petrify
Verb
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Critics, including the National Head Start Association, warned the move will sow fear and confusion among families and undermine decades of inclusive policy.—
Amanda Castro
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
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And then the leftist media, which is looking to completely undermine our culture and our civilization, and knows that these things turn social norms on their head, pick up these concepts and promote them.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
11 July 2025
Verb
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Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is 86 years-old and his political power is weakened following the short war with Israel.—
Jackie Northam,
NPR,
9 July 2025
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The first-quarter boom in U.S. trade is weakening, with merchandise trade somewhat atypically declining for the second straight month, according to my analysis of the the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data.—
Ken Roberts,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
Verb
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Be sure to rinse and drain them before using to remove excess starch and salt.—
Robin Miller,
AZCentral.com,
10 July 2025
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The city avoided building a water filtration plant, which would have lost more than $8 billion, by investing $1.5 billion into forests surrounding New York City's Catskill, Delaware, and Croton reservoirs that drain into their water supply systems.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
Verb
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In a world that has been desiccated of its resources, and of its ability to care about each other, the people in this novel don’t cry anymore.—
Emily Temple
May 27,
Literary Hub,
27 May 2025
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Avoid hot, exposed sites which will cause foliage to desiccate.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
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While others exhaust themselves and their budgets staying open for ghosts and insomniacs, smart operators perfect their performance when the audience is there.—
Elie Y. Katz,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
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According to a report released by Social Security trustees last month, once the trust fund is exhausted, payroll taxes would only be sufficient to cover about 77 percent of scheduled benefits.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 July 2025
Verb
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The summer heat and sun can be dehydrating for our skin, and finding the right product is particularly difficult for those with dry, very dry, or mature skin.—
Angela Lei,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
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Sodas, coffee, tea and alcohol actually dehydrate you.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
11 July 2025
Verb
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This relationship, when successful, tends to enervate mediating institutions that thwart the immediate desires of both the populist leader and the public.—
Cameron Hilditch,
National Review,
28 Feb. 2021
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The saving grace of this often enervating thriller is that Doscher grants time for his actors to build character and intimacy, and both Pinto and Odom offer warm, affectingly natural performances as two people facing the end of their world.—
Teo Bugbee,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2020
Verb
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The opera premiered in Rome at a time when castrati, or castrated male singers, took on treble roles; a papal decree forbade women from performing onstage.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
28 June 2025
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Tasks included repairing barbed wire fences, castrating animals and laying irrigation pipes, the suit alleges.—
Tyler Kingkade,
NBC news,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Petrify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petrify. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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