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View definitions for appalled

appalled

adjective as in shocked

adjective as in shocked

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Example Sentences

UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty is appalled by the reaction to the murder of his company's head insurance man Brian Johnson.

From Salon

Burrell, appalled, then asked, “Who would take the time to do that? F**king loser.”

From Salon

It has previously said that it was “utterly appalled” by the abuse allegations, adding that it is a “very different organisation to the one owned and controlled by Al Fayed”.

From BBC

We’re supposed to be appalled at how openly they brag about torture and strangulation, but the presence of a camera — and of sets and makeup — can’t be ignored as factors in how they comport themselves.

Israelis are appalled that, in their eyes, the world seems to have already forgotten or overlooked the atrocities committed by Hamas on 7 October last year.

From BBC

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for appalled?

Some of the closest synonyms for appalled are dismayed and disgusted.

Dismayed implies a sense of sadness or disappointment about something that has happened. Appalled implies not sadness but extreme distaste or disgust, and the same thing is implied by disgusted.

Appalled also often implies a sense of shock or surprise.

In fact, appalled is often used alongside the word shocked, as in We were shocked and appalled. 

Shocked implies extreme surprise, but it can be positive or negative. Appalled is always negative—it’s a combination of surprise (about how bad something is) and outrage.

What is a stronger word for appalled?

Appalled is a pretty strong word. Disgusted is similarly strong, though it may imply an even stronger revulsion for what has happened.

What’s worse than appalled?

Saying that you’re appalled by someone’s behavior is about the strongest way you can say that. To further emphasize disapproval, someone might use several similar words, as in We are shocked, appalled, saddened, and disgusted by this display of violence.

What is the opposite (antonym) of appalled?

Appalled doesn’t necessarily have an exact opposite. When you’re appalled about something, you’re shocked about it in a bad way (because you feel disgust or dismay about it). In this way, feeling positive about something could be considered the opposite of being appalled. Words that capture this idea include reassured, delighted, encouraged, and comforted, as in We were reassured by the results of the survey. 

How do you spell appalled?

The adjective appalled comes from the past tense of the verb appall, so it’s always spelled with two L’s. (In British English, appall is sometimes spelled appal, but even its past tense is spelled appalled.)

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

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