Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Causing consternation or dismay; frightful.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Causing or fitted to cause dismay or horror: as, an appalling accident; an appalling sight.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Such as to appall.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb Present participle of appall.
  • adjective Horrifying and astonishing.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective causing consternation
  • noun an experience that appalls

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Greece traditionally accepted only a tiny fraction of asylum applicants and a recent Human Rights Watch report condemned what it called an "appalling" system that left migrants, including children, stuck "for weeks or months in filthy and grossly overcrowded conditions."

    EU Asylum Seekers Win Concession Laurence Norman 2011

  • U.S. President Barack Obama said the world is outraged by what he called the "appalling" violence against the Libyan people and is urging Gadhafi to step down.

    Libyan Airstrikes Prompt Debate on No-Fly Zone 2011

  • U.S. President Barack Obama said the world is outraged by what he called the "appalling" violence against the Libyan people and is urging Gadhafi to step down.

    Libyan Airstrikes Prompt Debate on No-Fly Zone 2011

  • U.S. President Barack Obama said the world is outraged by what he called the "appalling" violence against the Libyan people and is urging Gadhafi to step down.

    Libyan Airstrikes Prompt Debate on No-Fly Zone 2011

  • In a nine-page report, the State Department criticizes what it calls appalling and systematic repression, including forcing women away from education and out of their jobs.

    CNN Transcript Nov 17, 2001 2001

  • Ohuruogu had what she called an "appalling" race over a lap of the Crystal Palace track on Saturday to finish last as Richards-Ross marked herself among favourites for the World Championships with an impressive victory.

    Evening Standard - Home Matt Majendie 2011

  • Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel was particularly sharp in speaking out against what she called an "appalling crime."

    NYT > Home Page By NICHOLAS KULISH 2011

  • Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel was particularly sharp in speaking out against what she called an "appalling crime."

    NYT > Home Page By NICHOLAS KULISH 2011

  • The White House deplored what it called "appalling violence."

    latimes.com - News 2011

  • Trade union Unison initially called for the Top Gear presenter to be sacked by the BBC over what it described as "appalling" comments.

    BBC News - Home 2011

Comments

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  • “You can’t conceive, and nor can I the appalling strangeness of the mercy of God.�?

    — Graham Greene, Brighton Rock (1938) at Part 7, Chapter 11.

    June 14, 2008

  • Have you seen her? She's something appalling!

    -- The Mikado

    August 21, 2008