to petrify

Examples

• All

• Judar's face told his feelings on this much more clearly than his words; he was petrified at the thought of moving farther into the jungle.

  Fiction book (1992)

• Agatha stood, petrified, in front of the stove.

  Fiction book (1990)

• David wanted to project the face of a straight man, petrified by what might happen if he did not.

  Blog text (28)

• And not to mention, they're dead scared that Harry'll petrify them if they fly anywhere near him.

  Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

• Once the sun set, the Fear would petrify them, just as it had immobilized her when Tomey was carried away.

  Fiction book (2001)

• Schiller was petrified with surprise.

  Fiction book (1998)

• We were petrified, and in silence looked at the cool, bottomless corridor.

  Fiction book (1997)

• From under the trailer, a white cat skitters out, petrified at the sight of her, then bolts around the back.

  Fiction book (2000)

• Although initially petrified by the girl's surprising request to dance, Robert/Ben soon relaxed and enjoyed her "heavenly" company.

  Academic text (2003)

• The sudden loud noise petrified me, leaving me frozen in place.

Synonyms

F

to frighten

vsto petrify

540 1.0

To make someone feel afraid

creates a much stronger fear that actually freezes movement and thought

P

to paralyze

vsto petrify

• US

266 5.3

Stop a person or system from moving and acting

freezes someone specifically through sudden fear or shock

T

to terrify

vsto petrify

148 3.2

To make someone feel very frightened

creates fear that specifically immobilizes both body and thought

T

to terrorize

vsto petrify

• NSFW

145 6.7

To frighten someone very much by using threats or violence

produces an immediate freeze from fear instead of ongoing intimidation

H

to horrify

vsto petrify

90 4.3

Make someone feel very shocked, afraid, or disgusted

focuses on fear that immobilizes rather than general shock or disgust

A

to appall

vsto petrify

64 5.5

To make someone feel shocked and very upset by something cruel or wrong

creates a terror that specifically freezes body and mind

S

to scare someone to death

vsto petrify

• Informal

59 3.7

To frighten someone very much

leads to literal inability to move or think from fear

S

to scare the hell out of

vsto petrify

• Informal

56 6.7

To make someone very afraid

goes further by freezing both body and mind through fear

S

to stun

vsto petrify

11 3.0

To surprise someone so much they cannot react for a short time

creates a fear-induced freeze rather than just temporary stunned silence

S

to stupefy

vsto petrify

9 7.9

To make someone unable to think or react after a very strong shock

produces similar paralysis but specifically from intense fear

S

to scare the bejesus out of

vsto petrify

• Informal

5 8.8

To make someone very afraid

brings a deeper freeze that stops movement and thinking

S

to scare the bejesus

vsto petrify

• Informal

5 9.0

To frighten someone very much by a sudden event or loud noise

produces an immobilizing terror that also blocks thinking

S

to scare the pants off

vsto petrify

• Informal

3 8.2

To frighten someone very much

creates a deeper, immobilizing fear that stops thought and action

S

to scare the living daylights out of

vsto petrify

• Informal

3 6.9

To frighten someone very much

results in a paralyzing fear that prevents movement or thought

S

to scare the life out of

vsto petrify

• Informal

3 5.6

To make someone very afraid

causes that fear to become a complete freeze of action and thought

T

to transfix

vsto petrify

1 7.6

Cause someone to stand still because they feel amazed or scared

causes freezing from fear and shock that also stops thought

Antonyms

C

to comfort

172 1.0

To make someone feel less upset or in pain

How Frightening

to terrify

148 3.2

to petrify

7 4.8

to frighten

540 1.0

to alarm

133 1.9

to startle

131 3.7

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology