1 petrify | Definition of petrify
Logo
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

petrify

verb
pet·​ri·​fy | \ ˈpe-trə-ˌfÄ« How to pronounce petrify (audio) \
petrified; petrifying

Definition of petrify

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 & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about petrify

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of petrify in a Sentence

the processes that petrify wood The dead tree petrified into stone.

Recent Examples on the Web

 The rest spent Tuesday and Wednesday evenings petrified that their time in Detroit would be their swan song as legitimate candidates. — Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, "The Democratic Party Is Culling the Field Too Soon," 1 Aug. 2019 Pivotal to it: Melcher, supposedly petrified of Manson, was medicated to testify at his trial. — Stephen Phillips, latimes.com, "What really happened in the Manson murders? ‘Chaos’ casts doubt on Helter Skelter theory," 12 July 2019 The creepy face, which became the center of a viral hoax that petrified thousands of parents earlier this year, is reportedly about to be the basis of a horror movie from Orion Pictures, Vertigo Entertainment, and producer Taka Ichise. — Julie Muncy, WIRED, "Why the Momo Challenge Film Might Beat the Meme Movie Curse," 12 July 2019 Downright Divine: Kilfenora The birthplace of one of Ireland’s oldest ceili dance bands, Kilfenora looks like it’s been petrified by the surrounding peat bogs. — Serena Renner, National Geographic, "Road trip through the Irish countryside’s wild beauty," 12 Mar. 2019 When the dead and buried don’t petrify, there are other ways that save them from destruction and preserve parts of their bodies with little change over vast spans of geological time. — Anna K. Behrensmeyer, Smithsonian, "How Do Fossils Form?," 8 June 2019 My career was in free fall, and as a single parent, this was petrifying. — John P. Darcy, Vogue, "The Year We Left New York," 27 Dec. 2018 In the days leading up to 500 qualifying, he was petrified for his team. — Jim Ayello, Indianapolis Star, "IndyCar midseason review, Part I: What’s gone right," 14 June 2018 Christy and Brian, petrified that the twins would smother, took turns staying awake round-the-clock to watch them. — Anndee Hochman, Philly.com, "The Parent Trip: Christy and Brian Fitzpatrick of Upper Dublin," 4 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'petrify.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of petrify

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

History and Etymology for petrify

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

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for petrify

petrify

verb
How to pronounce petrify (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of petrify

: to make (someone) very afraid
technical : to slowly change (something, such as wood) into stone or a substance like stone over a very long period of time

See the full definition for petrify in the English Language Learners Dictionary

petrify

verb
pet·​ri·​fy | \ ˈpe-trə-ˌfÄ« How to pronounce petrify (audio) \
petrified; petrifying

Kids Definition of petrify

1 : to change plant or animal matter into stone or something like stone petrified wood
2 : to frighten very much Lightning petrifies me.

petrify

verb
pet·​ri·​fy | \ ˈpe-trə-ˌfÄ« How to pronounce petrify (audio) \
petrified; petrifying

Medical Definition of petrify

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

: to become stone or like stone

Keep scrolling for more

More from Merriam-Webster on petrify

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with petrify

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for petrify

Spanish Central: Translation of petrify

Nglish: Translation of petrify for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of petrify for Arabic Speakers

WORD OF THE DAY

See Definitions and Examples

Get Word of the Day daily email!