adj
appalling
uh-PAW-lihng
adj
1
Shockingly bad or unpleasant; horrifying.
"The hotel room was in an appalling state of disrepair."
"Reports described appalling conditions in the refugee camp."
How to Use Appalling
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishExtremely bad, shocking, or upsetting.
Common pairings
appalling conditions
appalling behavior
absolutely appalling
Word Forms
more appalling comparative, most appalling superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “appalling”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The hotel room was in an _____ state of disrepair.
Etymology
From "appall" plus "-ing," ultimately from Old French apalir, "to grow pale."