Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense petrifies, present participle petrifying, past tense, past participle petrified
1. verb
If something petrifies you, it makes you feel very frightened.
Prison petrifies me and I don't want to go there. [VERB noun]
petrifyingadjective
I found the climb absolutely petrifying.
2. ergative verb
If something such as a society or institution petrifies, or if something petrifies it, it stops changing and developing.
[formal]
...the fear that a political deadlock may petrify economic initiatives. [VERB noun]
[Also VERB]
More Synonyms of petrify
petrify in British English
(ˈpɛtrɪˌfaɪ)
verbWord forms: -fies, -fying or -fied
1. (tr; often passive)
to convert (organic material, esp plant material) into a fossilized form by impregnation with dissolved minerals so that the original appearance is preserved
2.
to make or become dull, unresponsive, insensitive, etc; deaden
3. (tr; often passive)
to stun or daze with horror, fear, etc
Derived forms
petrifier (ˈpetriˌfier)
noun
Word origin
C16: from French pétrifier, ultimately from Greek petra stone, rock
petrify in American English
(ˈpɛtrəˌfaɪ)
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈpetriˌfied or ˈpetriˌfying
1.
to replace the normal cells of (organic matter) with silica or other mineral deposits; re-form as a stony substance
2.
to make rigid, inflexible, or inert; harden or deaden
3.
to paralyze or make numb, as with fear; stupefy; stun
verb intransitive
4.
to become petrified
Derived forms
petrified (ˈpetrified)
adjective
Word origin
Fr pétrifier < L petra, stone, rock (< Gr) + -ficare, -fy
Examples of 'petrify' in a sentence
petrify
He was petrified going on the show, bless him.
The Sun (2016)
He was petrified going on the show, bless him.
The Sun (2016)
These are topped by lamps sculpted from petrified wood.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The acting was so wooden it was a petrified forest.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
They must have been absolutely petrified.
The Sun (2009)
I was too petrified to go to the police.
The Sun (2006)
The walls were lined with petrified wood - wood that is thousands of years old and has turned to stone.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He was petrified with fear.
Vera Peiffer POSITIVELY FEARLESS: Breaking free of the fears that hold you back (2001)
He's going to be petrified.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
My wife is absolutely petrified.
The Sun (2011)
My partner is now waiting for the repeat of her operation and I am absolutely petrified.
The Sun (2014)
I was absolutely petrified, got knocked out and had to come off.
The Sun (2016)
She said of the tumble: 'I was petrified.
The Sun (2011)
She said: 'I was too petrified to tell anyone.
The Sun (2011)
She said: 'I was petrified of him.
The Sun (2012)
I've gone into matches petrified.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He said: 'I am petrified.
The Sun (2013)
Still, I was petrified of going home.
The Sun (2011)
Chinese translation of 'petrify'
petrify
(ˈpɛtrɪfaɪ; ˈpɛtrəl)
vt
(= terrify) 使吓(嚇)呆 (shǐ xiàdāi)
Nearby words of
petrify
petite
petition
petrified
petrify
petrol
petrol pump
petrol station
1 (verb)
Definition
to stun or daze with fear
His story petrified me.
Synonyms
terrify
The thought of a slow, painful death terrified me.
horrify
a crime trend that will horrify the community
amaze
He amazed us with his knowledge of local history.
astonish
Her dedication astonishes me.
stun
Many cinema-goers were stunned by the film's violent and tragic end.
appal
Such a waste of money appals me.
paralyse
He was paralysed with fear.
astound
He used to astound us with feats of physical endurance.
confound
For many years medical scientists were confounded by these seemingly contradictory facts.
transfix
We were all transfixed by the images of war.
stupefy
The aim is to shock, upset, stupefy, or just plain scare them.
immobilize
dumbfound
The question dumbfounded him.
2 (verb)
Definition
(of organic material) to turn to stone
Bird and bat guano petrifies into a mineral called taranakite.
Synonyms
fossilize
set
Lower the heat and allow the omelette to set on the bottom.
harden
Mould the mixture into shape before it hardens.
solidify
The thicker lava would have taken two weeks to solidify.
ossify
turn to stone
calcify
Additional synonyms
in the sense of amaze
Definition
to fill with surprise
He amazed us with his knowledge of local history.
Synonyms
astonish,
surprise,
shock,
stun,
alarm,
stagger,
startle,
bewilder,
astound,
daze,
confound,
stupefy,
flabbergast,
bowl someone over (informal),
boggle someone's mind,
dumbfound
in the sense of appal
Definition
to fill with horror
Such a waste of money appals me.
Synonyms
horrify,
shock,
alarm,
frighten,
scare,
terrify,
outrage,
disgust,
dishearten,
revolt,
intimidate,
dismay,
daunt,
sicken,
astound,
harrow,
unnerve,
petrify,
scandalize,
make your hair stand on end (informal)
in the sense of astonish
Definition
to surprise greatly
Her dedication astonishes me.
Synonyms
amaze,
surprise,
stun,
stagger,
bewilder,
astound,
daze,
confound,
stupefy,
boggle the mind,
dumbfound,
flabbergast (informal)
Nearby words of
petrify
petite
petition
petrified
petrify
petrol
petrol station
petticoat
Synonyms of 'petrify'
petrify
Explore 'petrify' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of astound
Definition
to overwhelm with amazement
He used to astound us with feats of physical endurance.
Synonyms
amaze,
surprise,
overwhelm,
astonish,
stagger,
bewilder,
daze,
confound,
stupefy,
stun,
take your breath away,
boggle the mind,
dumbfound,
flabbergast (informal)
in the sense of confound
Definition
to astound or bewilder
For many years medical scientists were confounded by these seemingly contradictory facts.
Synonyms
bewilder,
baffle,
amaze,
confuse,
astonish,
startle,
mix up,
astound,
perplex,
surprise,
mystify,
flummox,
boggle the mind,
be all Greek to (informal),
dumbfound,
nonplus,
flabbergast (informal)
in the sense of dumbfound
The question dumbfounded him.
Synonyms
amaze,
stun,
astonish,
confuse,
overwhelm,
stagger,
startle,
bewilder,
astound,
confound,
take aback,
bowl over (informal),
flummox,
nonplus,
flabbergast (informal)
in the sense of harden
Definition
to make or become hard
Mould the mixture into shape before it hardens.
Synonyms
solidify,
set,
freeze,
cake,
bake,
clot,
thicken,
stiffen,
crystallize,
congeal,
coagulate,
anneal
in the sense of horrify
Definition
to cause feelings of horror in (someone)
a crime trend that will horrify the community
Synonyms
terrify,
alarm,
frighten,
scare,
intimidate,
petrify,
terrorize,
put the wind up (informal),
make your hair stand on end,
scare the bejesus out of (informal),
affright
in the sense of ossify
Definition
to change into bone
Synonyms
harden,
freeze,
stiffen,
petrify,
solidify,
fossilize,
indurate (rare)
in the sense of paralyse
Definition
to make immobile
He was paralysed with fear.
Synonyms
freeze,
stun,
numb,
petrify,
transfix,
stupefy,
halt,
stop dead,
immobilize,
anaesthetize,
benumb
in the sense of set
Definition
to make or become firm or rigid
Lower the heat and allow the omelette to set on the bottom.
Synonyms
harden,
stiffen,
condense,
solidify,
cake,
gel,
thicken,
crystallize,
congeal,
jell,
coagulate,
gelatinize
in the sense of solidify
Definition
to make or become solid or hard
The thicker lava would have taken two weeks to solidify.
Synonyms
harden,
set,
congeal,
cake,
jell,
coagulate,
cohere
in the sense of stun
Definition
to shock or astonish (someone) so that he or she is unable to speak or act
Many cinema-goers were stunned by the film's violent and tragic end.
Synonyms
overcome,
shock,
amaze,
confuse,
astonish,
stagger,
bewilder,
astound,
overpower,
confound,
stupefy,
strike (someone) dumb,
knock (someone) for six (informal),
dumbfound,
flabbergast (informal),
hit (someone) like a ton of bricks (informal),
take (someone's) breath away
Additional synonyms
in the sense of stupefy
Definition
to confuse or astound (someone)
The aim is to shock, upset, stupefy, or just plain scare them.
Synonyms
astound,
shock,
amaze,
astonish,
stun,
stagger,
bewilder,
numb,
daze,
confound,
knock senseless,
dumbfound
in the sense of transfix
Definition
to make (someone) motionless, esp. with horror or shock