petrify

verb

pet·​ri·​fy ˈpe-trə-ˌfī 

petrified; petrifying

transitive verb

1

: to convert (organic matter) into stone or a substance of stony hardness by the infiltration of water and the deposition of dissolved mineral matter

2

: to make rigid or inert like stone:

a

: to make lifeless or inactive : deaden

… slogans are apt to petrify a man's thinking.

—Saturday Rev.

b

: to confound with fear, amazement, or awe

… a novel about an airline pilot that will petrify you.

—Martin Levin

intransitive verb

: to become stone or of stony hardness or rigidity

Synonyms of petrify

• undermine
• weaken
• drain
• desiccate
• exhaust
• dehydrate
• enervate
• castrate

Examples of petrify in a Sentence

the processes that petrify wood

The dead tree petrified into stone.

Recent Examples on the Web

So don’t go around being petrified of having your esophagus rupture someday. — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025

In group chats and meetings, Republicans are privately petrified the Iran war could cost them the midterms. — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 16 Apr. 2026

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

Johansson plays her with a tough edge to match her Queens accent, but Hester is clearly petrified by this perfect storm of ugly events. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English petrifien (as past participle petrified), borrowed from Medieval Latin petrificāre, from Latin petra "rock, boulder, crag" (borrowed from Greek pétra) + -ificāre -ify — more at petro-

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for petrify

• abscissae
• adonai
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi

Kids Definition

petrify

verb

pet·​ri·​fy ˈpe-trə-ˌfī 

petrified; petrifying

1

: to convert into stone or a stony substance by the penetration of water and the depositing of minerals which were dissolved in the water

petrified wood

2

: to make lifeless or inactive : deaden

3

: to paralyze with fear, amazement, or awe : stun

Medical Definition

petrify

verb

pet·​ri·​fy ˈpe-trə-ˌfī 

petrified; petrifying

transitive verb

: to convert (organic matter) into stone or a stony substance

intransitive verb

: to become stone or like stone