petrifying

adjective

pet·​ri·​fy·​ing ˈpe-trə-ˌfī-iŋ How to pronounce petrifying (audio)
Synonyms of petrifyingnext
: overwhelmingly frightening
"We have not made one decision on what to do yet. It's worse than scary. It's absolutely petrifying."—Chris Spirou
What may be a petrifying experience for a child might seem trivial for you.—The Daily Herald (Provo, Utah)
petrifyingly adverb
a petrifyingly dangerous situation

Examples of petrifying in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And so, that was petrifying to me. — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 3 Apr. 2026 Its many nail-biting scenes are petrifying, to say the least. — Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025 In so many of his films, Spielberg tries to control and redefine something that is, on some level, unknowable and petrifying. — Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2026 In so many of his films, Spielberg tries to control and redefine something that is, on some level, unknowable and petrifying. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for petrifying

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of petrify

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of petrifying was in 1782

Rhymes for petrifying

See All Rhymes for petrifying

Browse Nearby Words

petrify
petrifying
Petrine
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Petrifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/petrifying. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on petrifying

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for petrifying

Nglish: Translation of petrifying for Spanish Speakers

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