appalling

adjective

ap·​pall·​ing ə-ˈpȯ-liŋ 

: inspiring horror, dismay, or disgust

living under appalling conditions

appalling savagery

appallingly adverb

Synonyms of appalling

• disgusting
• awful
• horrible
• sickening
• ugly
• shocking
• hideous
• obnoxious
• obscene
• dreadful
• offensive

Examples of appalling in a Sentence

We drove by an appalling accident on the highway.

opening your mouth to show me your half-chewed food is absolutely appalling

Recent Examples on the Web

In a statement after the incident, the University of Georgia called Morgan's actions appalling, and thanked Athens-Clarke County police for quickly arresting him. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026

That reporting into what claimed to be a better kind of prison, more focused on treating inmates with mental-health issues, concluded that the conditions at the center were appalling, resulting in fires being set by inmates on their own persons. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026

Most appalling to Graham is our collective inertia, not to say apathy. — Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026

Trump paid them substandard wages, and their working conditions were appalling. — Kai Bird, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of appall

First Known Use

1635, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for appalling

• bremsstrahlung
• enthralling
• forestalling
• installing
• recalling
• balling
• bawling
• brawling
• calling
• colling
• crawling
• drawling

Kids Definition

appalling

adjective

ap·​pall·​ing

ə-ˈpȯl-iŋ

: inspiring horror or dismay : shocking

appallingly adverb