petrifying
- present participle of petrify.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“This was the most petrifying part, not being able to be there to shield your kids and know if they were safe,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 15, 2025
The self-infantilizing is disconcerting to watch, and no doubt petrifying to experience firsthand, but Gaga dodges the fan and gets into her waiting vehicle.
From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2025
"I didn't know what was going on. We didn't know whether he’d survived, it was so nerve wracking. It was the longest two hours of my life. It was awful; it was petrifying."
From BBC ● May 21, 2024
Holley gifts his readers with a uniquely intimate history of Black liberation that clearly demonstrates the error in petrifying these figures.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2023
It’s a cry that travels far and wide, and is absolutely petrifying when heard close up.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
