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
Sheldon Teitelbaum2
: 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
Roald DahlWinky's petrified brown eyes were visible through her fingers. She seemed too appalled to speak.—J. K. Rowling
J. K. RowlingExamples of petrified in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Turned to stone The petrified forest was created by a volcanic explosion 3.4 million years ago as ash buried the trees quickly, preventing decay and turning them into stone.
—David Caraccio
july 3, Sacbee.com, 3 July 2025
Those bases are there because those countries are petrified that these – that the Iranian Shia clerics that run that country will attack their country.
—CBS News, 22 June 2025
At the celebration that follows their hair-raising return to Holy Island, Spike is disturbed by his father’s exultant untruths, regaling the crowd with false accounts of his son’s heroics when the squeamish boy had been too petrified to be of use during the attack.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2025
Two-plus years spent embedded in this world have left me feeling petrified by the sweeping changes about to strike the global labor market.
—Gary Rivlin, Time, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for petrified
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David Caraccio
july 3, Sacbee.com, 3 July 2025
Those bases are there because those countries are petrified that these – that the Iranian Shia clerics that run that country will attack their country.
—CBS News, 22 June 2025
At the celebration that follows their hair-raising return to Holy Island, Spike is disturbed by his father’s exultant untruths, regaling the crowd with false accounts of his son’s heroics when the squeamish boy had been too petrified to be of use during the attack.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2025
Two-plus years spent embedded in this world have left me feeling petrified by the sweeping changes about to strike the global labor market.
—Gary Rivlin, Time, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for petrified
Cite this Entry
“Petrified.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/petrified. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.
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