petrified
So frightened that you cannot move.
petrified in a sentence
- Petrified by the thunder, the cat froze halfway up the curtain.
- Petrified at the top of the diving board, Sam stood completely still and could not jump.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to petrified?
- Afearless
- Bterrified
- Cbrave
- Dcalm
Show the answer
B: terrified. The other three mean the opposite of petrified.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to petrified?
- Acalm
- Bterrified
- Cfrozen
- Dscared
Show the answer
A: calm. The other three mean nearly the same as petrified.
Words that mean something similar
terrified, frozen, scared
Words that mean the opposite
calm, brave, fearless
More words about emotions & feelings
- plight: A sad or difficult situation someone is stuck in.
- qualm: A worried feeling that what you are doing might be wrong.
- ravenous: Extremely hungry, and ready to eat greedily.
- reassure: To comfort someone and make them feel less worried.
- rejoice: To feel or show great happiness.
- relish: To enjoy something very much.
- reluctant: Not wanting to do something.
- remorse: A deep feeling of sorrow for something wrong you have done.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test