appalled 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of appallednext
as in aghast

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appalled

2 of 2

verb

past tense of appall
as in shocked
to cause an unpleasant surprise for conditions inside the house overrun with cats simply appalled animal control officers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 appalled
Adjective
And part of me is a little appalled by that. — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 9 Jan. 2026 Coogan said, sounding less appalled than giddy at the figure. — Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s ongoing satirical series at first appalled many viewers with its resolute political incorrectness and penchant for four-letter words from the mouths of babes, and that was nowhere more evident than in Cartman himself. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2026 While some praised Galliano’s immeasurable talent as a fashion designer, others were appalled by the choice, given his previous offenses and the rise of antisemitic attacks in New York City and internationally. — Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for appalled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for appalled
  1. aghast
  2. shocked
  3. horrified
  4. stunned
  5. surprised
  6. dismayed
  7. bewildered
Adjective
  • At first Burgomeister is aghast at such a horrific proposal and rebuffs her offer.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Albert Einstein was aghast at how nuclear fission had been put to first use.
    — Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of aghast
Verb
  • Don't be shocked if the liberals start accusing NBA legend Charles Barkley of being MAGA.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Tonia Jones was shocked to learn that Metrolink fares were going up.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of shocked
Adjective
  • Greg O'Neill, 63, was swimming at Sorrento Beach in the northern suburbs of Perth in Western Australia on Friday when the attack happened in front of horrified beachgoers.
    — Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Their Bell helicopters collided midair, sending flaming wreckage above the heads of horrified drivers on the Pasadena Freeway.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of horrified
Verb
  • At a small celebration dinner in San Francisco after the deal closed, Basu Trivedi was stunned by their choice of lodging.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Sabrina Carpenter stunned in a pantsless look at the 2026 MTV VMAs on September 27.
    — Christina Perrier, InStyle, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of stunned
Adjective
  • Aviation experts were surprised that the plane did not crash after a descent so extreme that most of the rudder was ripped off the tail.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Many visitors are surprised that such massive monuments representing two entirely different world religions were built just a short distance apart.
    — Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of surprised
Adjective
  • But minutes later, Austria tied the game again, leaving the lobby in dismayed silence.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 June 2026
  • His reflexive suspicion of causes left him more dismayed than energized by the nascent conflict.
    — John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026
Definition of dismayed
Adjective
  • But Iñárritu’s caricatures become people in a way Kubrick’s don’t; as the bewildered President, for example, John Goodman is simultaneously grounded and theatrical in his presentation, recalling his best work with the Coen brothers.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Five o’clock Saturday, the Riverside Stadium and Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg is fist-pumping a half-bewildered but fully enthused home crowd.
    — Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of bewildered

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Cite this Entry

“Appalled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/appalled. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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