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
The West and Israel should be mindful over the apparent change in tempo of Iran’s uranium enrichment and be petrified of losing the wider war of non proliferation in a region unable to step back from the brink.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 28 Sep. 2024
The government - the governor is petrified in Colorado.
—CBS News, 22 Sep. 2024
When North Korea tested a ballistic missile in 2009, the public was petrified at first but quickly lost interest.
—Takashi Yokota, Foreign Affairs, 17 Oct. 2012
See All Example Sentences for petrify
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 7 Oct. 2024
The West and Israel should be mindful over the apparent change in tempo of Iran’s uranium enrichment and be petrified of losing the wider war of non proliferation in a region unable to step back from the brink.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 28 Sep. 2024
The government - the governor is petrified in Colorado.
—CBS News, 22 Sep. 2024
When North Korea tested a ballistic missile in 2009, the public was petrified at first but quickly lost interest.
—Takashi Yokota, Foreign Affairs, 17 Oct. 2012
See All Example Sentences for petrify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petrify
Verb
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This feels eerily similar to when Trump cut a deal with the Taliban while excluding the Afghan government—undermining their legitimacy and paving the way for disaster.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
17 Feb. 2025
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Those errors undermined one of the best afternoons of organisation that Wolves fans have witnessed from their team in a long time.—
Steve Madeley,
The Athletic,
16 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Fed officials are closely monitoring inflation and the labor market for signs of a potentially weakening economy.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2025
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In the fourth quarter of 2024, WK Kellogg reported net sales of $640 million, a decrease of 1.7% compared to $651 million in the same period in 2023, impacted by a 5.6% volume decline and a 40 basis point headwind from the weakening Canadian dollar.—
Joe Cornell,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The swamp is not being drained; it’s being filled with more water than the Panama Canal.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2025
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Patrick Reed drained a hole-in-one at the 'Watering Hole,' which sent fans into a frenzy.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The weather this year has also left abundant vegetation in the region that has desiccated in the warm, dry air.—
Umair Irfan,
Vox,
7 Dec. 2018
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Santa Anas are those desiccating winds that occur commonly in winter, blowing out of Nevada and Utah and into southwestern California.—
Amy Graff,
New York Times,
19 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The Cowboys seem to be more concerned about the possibility of cap hell than exhausting every last resource to win now.—
Jon Machota,
The Athletic,
13 Feb. 2025
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The bar does not take action in a case until the appeals process is exhausted, a spokesperson said.—
Gary Klien,
The Mercury News,
12 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Consuming four or more cups of coffee daily—or more than 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine—increases urine output for habitual and casual coffee drinkers, which may be mildly dehydrating.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Verywell Health,
19 Feb. 2025
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The restaurant is a showcase of advanced technique where food is dehydrated or subjected to liquid nitrogen—and you may even be fed an edible balloon.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
18 Feb. 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 first is a li’l pony that has to be chloroformed so Siegfried can castrate it.—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2025
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Pain is the most obvious example: A horse that has just been castrated or a limping sheep with smelly, reddish footrot is undoubtedly feeling pain.—
science.org,
science.org,
13 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Petrify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petrify. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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