verb

appall

to appal, to horrify, to shock

The news of the disaster appalled everyone.

The news of the disaster appalled everyone.

He was appalled by the conditions he saw.

He was appalled by the conditions he saw.

((sth.)) appals ((sb.)) to greatly dismay or horrify (sb.) The level of cruelty appalled the judge.

to be appalled by ((sth.)) to be shocked by (sth.) We were appalled by the waste.

Synonyms: horrify, shock, dismay; Antonyms: delight, please

From Old French 'apalir', meaning 'to grow pale'.

Imagine seeing something so shocking it makes you turn 'a pale' colour. The British spelling is 'appal'.

This page is designed for learning support. Please use it as a learning reference, not as a formal reference.