as in terrified
filled with fear or dread
I stood there, aghast, as the vile monster made its way toward me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of aghast
Naturally, a broad swath of staffers at CBS News are aghast.
—
Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 7 Oct. 2025
And Clark’s fans, who have often noted the exceptionally high level of physicality directed at Clark and who’ve been aghast at the league office’s reluctance to single out her unique star power, had good reasons to believe that the league was self-sabotaging.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
Many Salvadorans and human rights advocates were aghast at the sight of soldiers trying to pressure the lawmakers.
—T. Christian Miller, ProPublica, 30 Sep. 2025
Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, a former educator in Miami-Dade, was aghast by the announcement.
—Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aghast
Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 7 Oct. 2025
And Clark’s fans, who have often noted the exceptionally high level of physicality directed at Clark and who’ve been aghast at the league office’s reluctance to single out her unique star power, had good reasons to believe that the league was self-sabotaging.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
Many Salvadorans and human rights advocates were aghast at the sight of soldiers trying to pressure the lawmakers.
—T. Christian Miller, ProPublica, 30 Sep. 2025
Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, a former educator in Miami-Dade, was aghast by the announcement.
—Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aghast
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aghast
Adjective
-
But there’s plenty of agonized screaming, as well as lots of closeups of terrified faces.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
14 Jan. 2026
-
As Arnoldo’s undocumented father, Arnulfo Bazan Carrillo, drove off, the terrified teenager began filming on his phone.—
Nicole Foy,
ProPublica,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The article quotes two current professors but doesn’t explore why other faculty members critical of the school were too frightened to speak on the record in what Corcoran described as a campus finally open to different opinions.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Freedom from fear mattered because frightened societies are easily manipulated.—
Philip Martin,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Hilary Duff isn't afraid to lean into nostalgia.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
20 Jan. 2026
-
To create a fresh look, Lynch says not to be afraid to mix and match patterns and colors.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
In witness footage shared by the police, the paraglider is seen falling from the sky with a faulty parachute and spiraling quickly towards the waters below, before smashing into the ocean in front of horrified beachgoers.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Yang plays Kieran Culkin’s stand-in, his arms nightmarishly chainsawed off as Ashley Padilla’s Catherine O’Hara equivalent lets out a series of horrified shrieks.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
20 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
The birds were scared away by a resident’s dog.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Jan. 2026
-
As Hodges stood there, scared and vulnerable, the man grabbed his baton and bashed him on the head with it, rupturing his lip and smashing his skull.—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
At the time, a second insider added that the entire room was so shocked that Anthony, 57, called Victoria's name over Nicola's that a silence followed.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
21 Jan. 2026
-
In the bawdy comedic scene, Tommy wakes up au natural in his hotel bed after an amorous evening with his wife, Angela Norris (Ali Larter), to find a shocked housekeeper in the hotel room.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Store employees became alarmed after Vandenberg repeatedly spoke about throwing fireworks at police and asked whether the store was going to track him, prompting them to record his license plate and contact law enforcement.—
Ashley Carnahan,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Given the less-than-one-half-inch insect’s track record of devastating oaks since being first detected in San Diego County in 2008, scientists and land stewards are alarmed — and working to contain the outbreak.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Aghast.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aghast. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
