petrified Definition
- 1so frightened that one is unable to move; terrified
- 2changed into a stony substance; ossified
Using petrified: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "petrified" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
I was petrified when I saw the snake in my room.
Example
The idea of public speaking petrifies me.
Example
The ancient trees had petrified into stone over time.
Example
The remains of the dinosaur were petrified and preserved in the rock.
petrified Synonyms and Antonyms
Idioms Using petrified
Example
She was scared/petrified out of her wits when she heard the loud noise.
Example
He was petrified with fear when he saw the bear.
stone-cold/petrified sober
completely sober, without any trace of alcohol or drugs in one's system
Example
After years of struggling with addiction, he finally became stone-cold sober.
Phrases with petrified
a forest where the trees have been replaced by stone through the process of permineralization
Example
The Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona is home to a large collection of petrified wood.
Example
The museum had a collection of petrified wood from different parts of the world.
petrified remains
the fossilized remains of an organism that has been turned into stone through the process of permineralization
Example
The petrified remains of the dinosaur were discovered in the desert.
Origins of petrified
from Latin 'petrus', meaning 'rock'
Summary: petrified in Brief
'Petrified' [ˈpɛtrəfaɪd] is an adjective that describes being so frightened that one is unable to move, as in 'I was petrified when I saw the snake in my room.' It can also refer to something that has been changed into a stony substance, such as 'The ancient trees had petrified into stone over time.' The term extends into phrases like 'petrified forest,' and idioms like 'petrified with fear,' denoting extreme terror.
