aghast
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of aghast
1225–75; Middle English agast frightened, past participle of agasten, equivalent to a- a- 3 + gasten, Old English gǣstan to frighten, earlier *gāstjan < Germanic causative *gaistjan; see ghost
Explanation
Would you be aghast, or shocked, to find out that your friends believe in ghosts, or would you share their frightened, or aghast, looks when a floating white being hovers over the campfire? Aghast comes from Old English gasten, "frighten," which comes in turn from gāst, "ghost." If you've seen a look of absolute shock or terror on someone's face — like when your mom (or dad) sees a mouse — you can describe the look with the adjective aghast. If someone says "You should have seen the look on your face!" after sneaking up on you, you probably looked aghast yourself. "Boo!"
Vocabulary lists containing aghast
The Outsiders
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"The Monkey's Paw" by W. W. Jacobs
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"Paul Revere's Ride" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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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.
He had a British passport but was aghast at any suggestion that he could leave as political trouble was impending.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
People watching stars head from the Carlyle to the Met Gala were aghast when a ‘furious’ woman tried to enter the hotel.
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
Everyone John meets in “I Swear” is either aghast by his tics or accepts them without struggle.
From Salon • Apr. 26, 2026
MPs and advisers now say it's "incredible" and "unforgiveable" and that they are "aghast" that Robbins didn't flag the problem to ministers at the time.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
Here it was uncomfortably moist, and they left it quickly, to come through an arched doorway into the drawing room and stand, aghast and incredulous.
From "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson
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.
