1
as in disgusting
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment
opening your mouth to show me your half-chewed food is absolutely appalling
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in horrific
extremely disturbing or repellent
appalling crimes against humanity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in shocking
to cause an unpleasant surprise for
conditions inside the house overrun with cats simply appalled animal control officers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of appalling
Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 9 May 2026
The variance with accustomed Goodspeed values is apparent from the very first moments, though the opening gambit fails due to an appalling lack of attentiveness from the audience.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 7 May 2026
Of all the recent poster boys for appalling misbehavior by the State Police, Michael Proctor would of course rank number one.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for appalling
Adjective
Unfortunately, this appealing-on-paper business has delivered appalling returns; shareholders are sitting on a 25% total loss since the start of 2020.
—Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 9 May 2026
The variance with accustomed Goodspeed values is apparent from the very first moments, though the opening gambit fails due to an appalling lack of attentiveness from the audience.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
Verb
The young Forster recoiled from the school’s culture of authoritarianism and militaristic chauvinism, which may have found expression in the students’ often appalling attitudes toward their own mothers.
—Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 7 May 2026
Of all the recent poster boys for appalling misbehavior by the State Police, Michael Proctor would of course rank number one.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for appalling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for appalling
Adjective
-
One of the guests makes a disgusting joke involving the boat and lubricant.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
26 Aug. 2025
-
Danny DeVito, who plays the hilarious and disgusting Frank Reynolds on Always Sunny, used to be married to a fellow comedy legend, Rhea Perlman.—
Allison DeGrushe Published,
EW.com,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
The six-month delay was vehemently opposed by most plaintiff attorneys, who say their clients have suffered horrific abuse and are in desperate need of cash.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
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The Oscar-winning Capote had the dramatic advantage of a protagonist investigating a horrific mass murder.—
Stephen Farber,
HollywoodReporter,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Dozens of older homes, most built during the area’s postwar building boom, were in a state of shocking disrepair.—
Zac Taylor,
The Conversation,
9 June 2026
-
Just one quick perusal of Corrin’s Instagram comments reveals shocking bigotry.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
There's an awful lot of this nation's history packed into one three-block area in Philadelphia.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
Speaking of paperwork, there’s an awful lot of it in this episode.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
Schlepping from town to town to support his gruesome secret tradition, Billy flashes forward from a terrifying memory from the car-jacking that killed his parents when was 8 years old.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
11 Dec. 2025
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The neighbor found Bethany in her crib and a gruesome crime scene close by.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
10 Dec. 2025
Verb
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His views, comments and cosplaying as a Nazi are horrifying regardless of his political party.—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
7 May 2026
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The visage, created by Universal Studio’s then-lead makeup artist Jack Pierce for the 1931 film, was horrifying enough that its influence endured for almost 100 years.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The companies try to slow down this process by submerging it in oil, but the resulting flavor is horrible.—
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner,
Martha Stewart,
13 June 2026
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Any justice in the community would praise this murderer’s row of craftspeople working on the production design for the period town setting; makeup, especially Pennywise’s horrible face; sound design, for helping to keep the audio terrors churning along; and the costume work.—
William Earl,
Variety,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
In 2012, a powerful quake visited terrible damage on the city of Modena, Bottura’s home and host to his restaurant.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
The letter writer’s cousin has cancer, and the chemo gives her terrible side effects.—
Eric Thomas,
Sun Sentinel,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Appalling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/appalling. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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