What does petrify mean?
Petrify means to turn something into stone. Its figurative use is more common today: a person who is petrified is so frightened that they become rigid, motionless, or unable to act. The word can also describe making a process, institution, or arrangement seem fixed and resistant to change, as in a debate over whether technology had petrified a traditional system. Petrify carries a vivid and slightly dramatic tone, especially when it describes intense fear. Because it is based on the ancient idea of turning to stone, it gives visual force to the idea of being frozen in place. The related word petrification is common in geology for the process by which remains or materials become stone, while petrified describes someone or something that has become immobilized or seems stone-like.
To turn something into stone or cause it to become stone.
"The ancient creature could petrify anyone who came too close."
This literal sense is often used in mythology, folklore, and figurative descriptions of geological change.
To make someone rigid, motionless, or unable to act because of fear or shock.
"The child was petrified when the door suddenly opened."
Common constructions include "be petrified by" and "be petrified with fear."
To make a process or institution seem fixed, unchanging, or resistant to change.
"Some critics argue that the regulation has petrified the industry."
This is a less common figurative use, especially in discussion of politics, organizations, and cultural practices.
A single look of terror could leave a person as motionless as stone in the language of this word.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does petrify come from?
Petrify comes from the Greek petra, meaning "rock," together with the suffix -ify, meaning "to make" or "to become." The word entered English through Latin forms associated with petrification, the process of turning into stone. Its relatives include petrification, petrified, and petrifying, as well as scientific terms such as petrology and petrify-related terminology in the study of rocks and fossils.
Related word forms
How petrify is actually used
The figurative sense is common in both formal and informal English. When used for fear, the usual pattern is "be petrified by" or "be petrified with fear."
Easily confused with petrify
No distinction is needed: this is the headword.
Petrify often describes becoming rigid or immobilized through fear or shock, whereas paralyze generally means to cause loss of movement or the ability to act.