petrified
/ˈpet.rɪ.faɪd/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Very frightened or shocked. It is stronger than 'afraid' and usually means someone cannot move or speak easily.
- She was petrified before the interview.
- I was petrified when I heard the noise.
- He looked petrified during the storm.
Adinary Nuance
Petrified is stronger than afraid, scared, or nervous. It suggests intense fear, often with a frozen or stunned feeling. Writers choose it when someone is so scared that they can hardly move or speak.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- kinh hãi
- Spanish
- petrificado
- Chinese
- 吓坏了
- Japanese
- 恐れおののいた
- Korean
- 겁에 질린
Etymology
From Latin petrificare, meaning 'to turn into stone'. It entered English in the 18th century, first with the literal idea of becoming stone-like.
Common phrases
petrified ofpetrified with fearabsolutely petrified
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is petrified the same as scared?
- Not exactly. Petrified is much stronger than scared and often means extreme fear.
- Is petrified formal or informal?
- It is common in everyday English and also fine in writing.
- Can I say petrified of something?
- Yes. People often say 'petrified of' before a noun or gerund.