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.
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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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Many businesses are unaware of the extent to which artificially inflated OTP traffic undermines their operations due to the sheer complexities and inherent risks of telecommunication.Ethan Stone, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2025
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Without this context, the accuracy of risk assessments is undermined.Philip Caldwell, Baltimore Sun, 12 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The widening yield differentials between Chinese and U.S. sovereign bonds could risk encouraging capital outflows and put further pressure on the yuan that has been weakening against the greenback.Anniek Bao, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2025
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Elon Musk, one of Trump’s confidants, has already met with Iran’s UN ambassador; now that Israel has weakened Tehran and pummeled its proxies in the Middle East, a diplomatic breakthrough may be achievable.Charles A. Kupchan, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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And, if more private schools did open in rural areas, that would drain enrollment from public schools that often served as centers of the community.Alec MacGillis, ProPublica, 13 Jan. 2025
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Cornell said the next step is to drain the New Glenn rocket of its fuel.Jackie Wattles, CNN, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The British upper classes and a farmer's bum laid bare, as the Norfolk countryside slowly desiccates.The Week UK, theweek, 20 Dec. 2024
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From the very first frame of a new episode of Hot Ones Versus, Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor is gasping for breath from behind his trademark mask, which looks like either a desiccating corpse or a wasp’s nest with dreadlocks.Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2024
Verb
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While Valverde was brought off in the 74th minute of the Super Cup semi final win against Mallorca on Thursday, Bellingham was seen going to the turf exhausted on more than one occasion and touching the back of his legs.Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
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Backlash to the backlash emerged on Thursday, as many users pointed out that fire resources had been exhausted in the Palisades.Matt Donnelly, Variety, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Staying Hydrated When you are dehydrated, there’s less blood flowing through your body.Kelly Burch Published, Verywell Health, 7 Jan. 2025
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When he was found, Sabine was severely dehydrated but uninjured and inspired.New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Jan. 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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Satya goes on a murdering spree, torturing and castrating and burning a man alive, but his actions are presented as justified because the men he murders do terrible things — mostly to women, who serve as disposable fodder for violence.Anupama Chopra, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Jan. 2025
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There are rumors of drivers being castrated in this manner.Rachel Kushner, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near petrify
Cite this Entry
“Petrify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petrify. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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