appal

American

[uh-pawl] / əˈpɔl /

verb (used with object)

Chiefly British.

appalled, appalling

appall.

appal British

/ əˈpɔːl /

verb

(tr) to fill with horror; shock or dismay

"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

Etymology

Origin of appal

C14: from Old French appalir to turn pale

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.

Ruth Jones, Labour MP for Newport West, added that the situation "continued to appal".

From BBC • Nov. 20, 2022

"I know this will shock and appal the local community and I want to assure them we will do all we can to identify and bring to justice those responsible."

From BBC • Aug. 7, 2022

“I’m often trying to either appal or amuse or entertain you with an idea,” he says, addressing her.

From The Guardian • Jun. 1, 2019

Then, the plan held, overreaction from these groups would appal “normies”, or normal, average Americans.

From The Guardian • Oct. 15, 2018

No wrongs our breasts alarm, No fears our hearts appal, Unswerving justice nerves our arm, We cannot conquered fall.

From Southern War Songs Camp-Fire, Patriotic and Sentimental by Various

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