1
: very afraid or frightened of something : unable to move or act because you are afraid
"Are you afraid?" "I'm not just afraid, I'm petrified."
We were petrified with fear.
2
—used to describe something (such as wood) that has slowly changed into stone or a substance like stone over a very long period of time
petrified wood
the petrified bones of a fish
a petrified forest
Cite this Entry
“Petrified.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/petrified. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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