Petrify

Pronunciation: /ˈpɛtrəˌfaɪ/

Petrify (verb)

  1. To make something hard like stone, often by a chemical process.
  2. To make someone very afraid or shocked, so they cannot move.

Examples

  • The intense heat can petrify organic materials over time.
  • The sudden noise can petrify anyone in the dark.

Common collocations: petrify wood, petrify fossils, petrify with fear, petrify someone

Synonyms of Petrify

Formal

Neutral

Antonyms of Petrify

  • — to change from solid to liquid, opposite of petrify
  • — to make less hard or firm, opposite of petrify