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
Mekishana Pierre, EW.com, 2 July 2025
But Grandin has a knack for enlivening theory with anecdotes that are both enlightening and appalling.
—Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 30 June 2025
The first reflex of his critics was to blame him for the appalling tragedy in Central Texas, where a flood on July 4 killed more than 100 people including two dozen children at a Christian summer camp.
—Rich Lowry, National Review, 8 July 2025
But in the meantime, which has become a very long time indeed, such work is entirely aspirational, considering the appalling conditions thousands of inmates continue to live in every day.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for appalling
Adjective
The Trump administration's level of sheer corruption is appalling and Paramount should be ashamed of putting its profits over independent journalism.
—Mekishana Pierre, EW.com, 2 July 2025
But Grandin has a knack for enlivening theory with anecdotes that are both enlightening and appalling.
—Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 30 June 2025
The first reflex of his critics was to blame him for the appalling tragedy in Central Texas, where a flood on July 4 killed more than 100 people including two dozen children at a Christian summer camp.
—Rich Lowry, National Review, 8 July 2025
But in the meantime, which has become a very long time indeed, such work is entirely aspirational, considering the appalling conditions thousands of inmates continue to live in every day.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for appalling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for appalling
Adjective
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There is no way around it: Toilet brushes are disgusting.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
16 July 2025
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Nearly 200 pounds of disgusting mats and fur was removed, which equates to an average of 1.5 pounds per dog.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 July 2025
Adjective
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California homeowner’s insurance premiums were already rising before the horrific Southern California wildfires in January.—
Scott Cohn,
CNBC,
11 July 2025
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But the first lady and I are here in Texas to express the love and support and the anguish of our entire nation in the aftermath of this really horrific and deadly flood.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
11 July 2025
Verb
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Jung-bae wound up in a room of three, with Player 001 and some rando — but Player 001 choked the stranger to death in time to reduce their head count, shocking Jung-bae more than a bit.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
26 Dec. 2024
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Fox News Digital obtained shocking audio between Cyrus and his estranged wife where the country crooner is heard berating his Australian ex and using profane language.—
Ashley Hume,
Fox News,
26 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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That said, The Magician of Tiger Castle did initially start out as a YA romcom about Princess Tullia escaping her betrothal to the neighboring kingdom’s awful prince.—
Natalie Zutter
August 1,
Literary Hub,
1 Aug. 2025
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The first breach was awful: humiliating for the women who had to see their images passed around, and grim given the number of men making fun of those images with such open, gleeful cruelty.—
Faith Hill,
The Atlantic,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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But the gruesome truth remains — more than 120 are people are dead, including children.—
Bea L. Hines,
Miami Herald,
11 July 2025
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Other all-original haunted houses will include Jason Universe, which takes guests back to the summer camp where, one Friday the 13th, the gruesome legend was born.—
Tom Tapp,
Deadline,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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Because of Denise Gough's human frailty as a woman destroyed by her own ambition and Kyle Soller's cowardice in the face of a horrible truth.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
23 July 2025
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Soak up the gall of losing, absorb the horrible information, feel it to the full, go there—and then rebound, with superb elasticity.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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If Trump takes Powell’s scalp, most observers warn, terrible things will unfold because of the ballooning national debt.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
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But when terrible news arrives about her ex, all eyes turn to Ana — whose reputation isn't exactly sterling.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
21 July 2025
Adjective
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Greater Boston communities at the center of the ongoing sanitation worker strike are taking Republic Services to court, seeking immediate relief as trash piles mount, attracting rats and giving off a sickening stench.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
17 July 2025
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Members of the furry community around the globe teamed up to comb through the Telegram channel and find the perpetrators behind the sickening animal torture and abuse.—
Melissa Locker,
Time,
17 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Appalling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/appalling. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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