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.
In an X post, the Union of Journalists in Israel said it was "appalled" by the police conduct and urged the police commissioner to "immediately suspend the officers involved".
From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026
In a story in “Ladies’ Lunch,” an old woman, disheveled after an outing, looks in a mirror and sees “what Diane Arbus might have seen. She gazed, appalled, and being appalled pricked her interest.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026
But Dmitri is appalled that Evgeny chose Filet-o-Fish: “Years ago, I was talking to this sleeper agent and he told me, ‘You’re at an American McDonald’s . . . don’t get the Filet-o-Fish.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026
In one email she wrote, "I and all residents of the apartment block are appalled and demand this rank be removed swiftly, with immediate effect."
From BBC • Feb. 25, 2026
Bounding up the stairs, he stopped at his door, appalled by the mess that greeted him.
From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville
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.
