petrifying

(verb) cause to become stonelike or stiff or dazed and stunned. Synonyms: petrify. Examples: "The horror petrified his feelings." "Fear petrified her thinking."

(verb) change into stone. Synonyms: lapidify, petrify. Example: "The wood petrified with time."

(verb) make rigid and set into a conventional pattern. Synonyms: rigidify, ossify, petrify. Examples: "Rigidify the training schedule." "Ossified teaching methods." "Slogans petrify our thinking."

(adj) paralyzing with terror.