appalled
Americanadjective
verb
Etymology
Origin of appalled
Explanation
Appalled is an adjective that describes feeling shocked and disappointed. Being appalled happens suddenly, like when you find out your little sister has been blogging about your family, telling embarrassing stories. Appalled comes from the Latin word pallescere, meaning "to grow pale" — the kind of shock that drains the color from your face. When you are appalled, you don't just disapprove of what you are seeing; you are emotionally disturbed by it, like being appalled by the wasted food at a cafeteria or restaurant or the rudeness of someone who lets the door slam in your face.
Vocabulary lists containing appalled
Grade 9, List 1
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"The Odyssey" by Homer, Books 8–13
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The Westing Game
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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.
"It's like their lives didn't even matter. We're just really appalled by it all," her mother Michelle Jones told the ABC.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
Many Argentines say they, too, are appalled by such comments.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
Temi Mwale and Kayza Rose from the Justice for Chris Kaba Campaign said they were "appalled" by the IOPC's decision.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
When President Ulysses S. Grant sent the Declaration of Independence to Philadelphia to be displayed, the public was appalled by its condition, which led the government to establish the National Archives.
From Salon ● Jun. 30, 2026
The expense, the contractual indebtedness, appalled him; he found himself shaking.
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
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.
