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
Vikram Murthi, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2026
Newcastle's record there is appalling, and Howe's side have regularly been dismantled by Manchester City.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026
Truly appalling friend counsel here from Mindy.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for appalling
Adjective
By merely observing the appalling conditions at Bridgewater, Wiseman made Titicut Follies, a film so threatening to the Massachusetts state government’s reputation that the Massachusetts Superior Court ordered it to be pulled from distribution, citing patient-privacy concerns.
—Vikram Murthi, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2026
Newcastle's record there is appalling, and Howe's side have regularly been dismantled by Manchester City.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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
Truly appalling friend counsel here from Mindy.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for appalling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for appalling
Adjective
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Critics at its first press screening called the film disgusting, accusing it of exploiting both its oblivious subjects and the beloved former first lady.—
Rosemary Counter,
Vanity Fair,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Just last week the president tweeted a vile and disgusting image of President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, and refuses to apologize.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Casap may never change after ‘horrific’ crimes First-degree intentional homicide carries a mandatory life sentence.—
Todd Richmond,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Mougey and Jets coach Aaron Glenn will enter a critical offseason following a horrific 3-14 record.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Maury Phillips / Getty Images On March 7, 1965, the beating of future congressman John Lewis and voting rights marchers on Selma's Edmund Pettus Bridge led the evening news, shocking the nation's conscience and pushing Congress to act.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
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On March 7, 1965, the beating of future congressman John Lewis and voting rights marchers on Selma’s Edmund Pettus Bridge led the evening news, shocking the nation’s conscience and pushing Congress to act.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Both teams were mostly awful on offense in the first half.—
Greg Beacham,
Twin Cities,
11 Mar. 2026
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Make no mistake about it, Smith was awful last year with the Raiders.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The moment causes Byron, a selfish and braggadocious villain, to have a change of heart, stopping shipments of The Beauty and paying off the families ravaged by its gruesome side effects, like Bella’s.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
5 Mar. 2026
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The gruesome discovery would eventually lead authorities to a third woman, in her 80s, killed a few towns over, triggering a manhunt across several states and prompting a two-day closure of schools in Wayne County.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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No special effects were required to trigger Curry's stark drift from amiability to horrifying emptiness.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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After the horrible murder of Rob Reiner and his wife, legions of fans revisited to the director’s films, and this is one of his best.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
5 Mar. 2026
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But today, the building is in horrible shape.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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As compiled by Gnostics, who consider the material world to be a fundamentally terrible place.—
Jay Martel,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
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The Astros’ young second baseman, Jose Altuve, was making waves, Fisher remembered, yet the club still looked terrible.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Appalling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/appalling. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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