appalling
Americanadjective
adjective
-
causing extreme dismay, horror, or revulsion
-
very bad
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of appalling
Explanation
Something that is appalling is awful or horrible, causing dismay or disgust. It's definitely not appealing. Like so many things, people have different opinions on what is appalling. Most people find the idea of children living in poverty appalling. Just about everyone thinks a vicious "sport" like dog-fighting is appalling. If you're rich, paying a lot of taxes might be appalling. A football announcer might say that a sloppy play was appalling. Your parents might say the state of your room is appalling. This word can fit just about any situation that disgusts you.
Vocabulary lists containing appalling
Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" Speech (1963)
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Brave New World
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Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
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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.
"At that point, I told the people with me let's go there for work... let's try our luck too," she added, saying she wanted to leave for Europe because she works "under appalling conditions".
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026
Hilliard said Bush was motivated by "financial greed" and was "so preoccupied with his own enrichment" he allowed the site to descend into an "appalling" state.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
"We didn't think we could be any more shocked at their appalling treatment, but in this case we are absolutely flabbergasted," he added.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
“After watching football for decades, it is appalling to see how things have changed,” wrote one.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
My pronunciation was appalling, but I had no way of finding out.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
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.
