appalled

adjective

ap·​palled ə-ˈpȯld 

: affected by strong feelings of shock and dismay

… the Allied commanders were appalled to learn that 300 glider troops had drowned at sea.

—Kathleen McAuliffe

I was amazed, impressed, appalled, touched, embarrassed. Most of all, I was mad as hell.

—Ken Kesey

Straightway, he now goes on to make a full confession; whereupon the mariners became more and more appalled …

—Herman Melville

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

The day before the Sox were swept by Toronto during their final road series of the season, Cora was up-front about the team’s struggles against the division and somewhat appalled. —Julian Mcwilliams, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Oct. 2022

Hannah is kind of appalled, but it’s not a deal-breaker for her. —Erin Qualey, Vulture, 20 Nov. 2021

But the company relented after facing a backlash from appalled customers and a slumping stock price. —Washington Post, 24 June 2021

The final moments of Floyd's life, captured on video by appalled and angry bystanders, illustrated in clear visuals what Black Americans have long said about the ways that the criminal justice system dehumanizes Black people. —Eric Levenson, CNN, 29 Mar. 2021

But the idea leaves most epidemiologists both appalled and incredulous. —Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 14 Oct. 2020

Bielsa gave a press conference where in addition to apologizing, his detailed PowerPoint presentation of his research on every one of the division's teams either pushed you further in favor of El Loco's methods, or more appalled. —Glen Levy, CNN, 9 Sep. 2020

Georgina de Kock, an artist and entrepreneur (who previously sold homemade chocolates and screen prints), launched Munch Bowls in 2014 after working at food markets and becoming appalled at the amount of packaging used to serve street food. —Stephanie Bailey And Marion Edmunds, CNN, 29 Nov. 2019

Every Victorian can rightly feel not only appalled, deeply saddened and heartbroken, but angry. —Mélissa Godin, Time, 4 Feb. 2020

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Word History

Etymology

from past participle of appall

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined above