Meaning & use
appalled
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Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Deeply shocked and disgusted by something that seems terrible or wrong.
Grammar: Followed by at, by or to do something: appalled at the news.
Patterns
- appalled at something
- appalled by something
- appalled to see something
- appalled that something happened
I was appalled by the dirty state of the kitchen.
Residents were appalled at the plan to cut down the old trees.
She was appalled to learn that the money had disappeared.
adjectivebefore a noun
Showing horror or outrage, as in a look or reaction.
Grammar: Used before nouns like silence, look or expression.
Patterns
- an appalled silence
- an appalled look
An appalled silence filled the room after the announcement.
He gave her an appalled look when she spilled the paint.
Appalled onlookers watched the accident unfold.
Word forms
| comparative | more appalled |
|---|---|
| superlative | most appalled |
Common combinations
- appalled by
- Fans were appalled by the referee's decision.
- appalled at
- He was appalled at the lack of care.
- absolutely appalled
- I was absolutely appalled when I read the report.
- appalled to learn
- She was appalled to learn how little the workers were paid.
- appalled and disgusted
- Readers were appalled and disgusted by the photos.
- deeply appalled
- The mayor said he was deeply appalled.
Synonyms and how they differ
- horrified
- Horrified stresses fear and shock, while appalled adds moral disapproval.
- shocked
- Shocked is milder and can be about any surprise, even a pleasant one, whereas appalled is always negative.
- disgusted
- Disgusted focuses on revulsion, but appalled adds dismay that something is so bad.
- dismayed
- Dismayed is quieter and suggests disappointment and worry, so it is weaker than appalled.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: appalled or appalling?
appalled vs appalling
Appalling describes what causes the shock, as in an appalling mess. Appalled describes the person who feels it.
Practice
When the inspector saw the mold in the kitchen, he was ____ at how the restaurant had stayed open.
Choose one answer.
Appalled means shocked and disgusted, which suits seeing mold. Appealed, applauded and apologetic do not fit with at in this meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “appalled”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.