verb · academic
ossify
UK/ˈɒsɪfaɪ/US/ˈɑːsɪfaɪ/OS·si·fy
to become fixed and unable to change (literally 'turn into bone', figuratively 'become rigid')
Examples
“Over decades, bureaucracy can ossify and resist reform.”
“If traditions ossify, societies may struggle to adapt to new challenges.”
“The bone began to ossify after the fracture healed.”
Band 8 sentence
“Without continuous review, organisational rules tend to ossify, preventing any meaningful reform.”
Collocations
- ossify into tradition
- ossify institutions
Word family
Common mistakes
The education system ossified to old rules.→The education system ossified into old rules.
They ossified several policies last year.→Several policies became ossified last year.
Say it for a higher band
5stagnate→6harden→7+ossify
Synonyms
stagnate
harden
Easily confused
solidify
“The committee's decision served to solidify the new procedures.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In -ify
Learn it with its set