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Synonyms

appalling

American  
[uh-paw-ling] / əˈpɔ lɪŋ /

adjective

  1. causing dismay or horror.

    an appalling accident; an appalling lack of manners.
appalling British  
/ əˈpɔːlɪŋ /

adjective

  1. causing extreme dismay, horror, or revulsion

  2. very bad

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • appallingly adverb
  • unappalling adjective
  • unappallingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of appalling

First recorded in 1810–20; appall + -ing 2

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.

Cdr Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said officers have been working "continuously" to investigate and identify those responsible for the "appalling attacks".

From BBC

"There are now serious questions for authorities in the West Midlands to answer about what could be an appalling scandal happening right here on British high streets."

From BBC

But the country's teeth were in an appalling state after World War Two and pent-up demand was much greater than politicians anticipated.

From BBC

Lunny described her staff being asked to act out Timothy's behaviour as "appalling".

From BBC

Last year, the Transport Secretary described the scheme as "an appalling mess".

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.