1. a person or thing that petrifies; something that causes extreme fear or terror
Usage: often used informally or in literary contexts
2. a substance or agent that turns organic matter into stone or stone-like material
Usage: technical or geological usage

Examples

• The horror movie was a real petrifier for the young audience.
• Spiders are a petrifier for many people with arachnophobia.
• The thought of public speaking is a petrifier for some students.
• Mineral-rich water can act as a natural petrifier over geological time.
• That ghost story was quite the petrifier at the campfire.