petrified

adjective

pet·​ri·​fied ˈpe-trə-ˌfīd 

1

: converted into stone through a slow process of mineralization

petrified wood

a petrified forest

And at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History's annual dinosaur ball, about 800 patrons in black tie or gown waltz among the petrified remains of the once-glorious creatures.

—Sheldon Teitelbaum

2

: overwhelmingly fearful

was petrified of speaking in public

: rendered motionless or unable to act by fear

Charlie climbed onto the bed and tried to calm the three old people who were still petrified with fear. "Please don't be frightened," he said. "It's quite safe. And we're going to the most wonderful place in the world!"

—Roald Dahl

Winky's petrified brown eyes were visible through her fingers. She seemed too appalled to speak.

—J. K. Rowling

Examples of petrified in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

You can’t be discouraged and petrified simultaneously. —Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2026

Hiking trails allow visitors to see the petrified wood, petroglyphs, and fossils. —Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 3 May 2026

To the northeast, a buildup of reef and limestone from 260 million years ago holds petrified remains of marine creatures, souvenirs of the greatest flood in history. —Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2026

The short Giant Logs Trail gives hikers the chance to see petrified wood up close, and the beautiful Blue Mesa Trail showcases the Painted Desert’s colorful cones. —Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 27 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of petrify

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for petrified

• actinide
• aldehyde
• alkoxide
• alongside
• amplified
• arsenide
• beautified
• biocide
• bisulphide
• butoxide
• calcified
• ceramide