variants
also appal
as in to terrify
to cause an unpleasant surprise for
conditions inside the house overrun with cats simply appalled animal control officers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of appall
Spielberg imagined it as a noise that has the power to appall.
—
David Denby, Vulture, 3 July 2025
Still, there is plenty here that should appall both Democrats and Republicans.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
Dismay or appall you, sure, but never surprise you.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2024
That kind of appalls me to think that people need not expect that of themselves.
—David Marchese Photograph By Mamadi Doumbouya, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2024
What appalls him now is a lack of accountability in Netanyahu’s government.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 14 Jan. 2024
Kunzig: Alejandra, the weather this year kept finding fresh ways to appall us.
—Susan Goldberg, National Geographic, 9 Dec. 2021
The whiteness of the fantasy village will appall some — including, presumably, those who protested Gelman’s leadership of The Wing, that women-only co-working operation whose own workforce was notoriously segregated by race.
—Grace Lavery, Curbed, 20 Apr. 2022
Are there some whose only aim is to appall and disturb?
—Mark Shanahan, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Dec. 2022
David Denby, Vulture, 3 July 2025
Still, there is plenty here that should appall both Democrats and Republicans.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
Dismay or appall you, sure, but never surprise you.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2024
That kind of appalls me to think that people need not expect that of themselves.
—David Marchese Photograph By Mamadi Doumbouya, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2024
What appalls him now is a lack of accountability in Netanyahu’s government.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 14 Jan. 2024
Kunzig: Alejandra, the weather this year kept finding fresh ways to appall us.
—Susan Goldberg, National Geographic, 9 Dec. 2021
The whiteness of the fantasy village will appall some — including, presumably, those who protested Gelman’s leadership of The Wing, that women-only co-working operation whose own workforce was notoriously segregated by race.
—Grace Lavery, Curbed, 20 Apr. 2022
Are there some whose only aim is to appall and disturb?
—Mark Shanahan, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Dec. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for appall
Verb
-
The trauma of the killings left her terrified to close her eyes and sleeping in her mom’s bed for reassurance no one would harm her.—
Rachel Roberts,
Idaho Statesman,
24 July 2025
-
Chuck Schumer is terrified, but that's the reality of where Democrats are today.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 July 2025
Verb
-
The current owners have redone the sheet rock, plumbing, electrical, and flooring throughout the entire house, De Lello said.—
James Alexander,
Hartford Courant,
6 July 2025
-
Knight slammed the car into a U-turn and floored it toward Las Vegas Boulevard.—
Danielle Bacher,
People.com,
3 July 2025
Verb
-
Stink bugs tend to drop when frightened, so fill a cup with soapy water and hold it under the stink bug.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
19 July 2025
-
What starts as a simple favor to keep her great-niece turns into a wild Halloween night filled with jump scares and pranks — but as usual, nothing frightens her more than bad manners and disrespect. Boo 2!—
Jane LaCroix,
People.com,
13 July 2025
Verb
-
There’s a thread of carbolic soap, though not enough to scare away those even moderately familiar with smoky Islay Scotch.—
David Thomas Tao,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
-
Officials used horns, sirens and lights to scare the dogs away from Culbertson, according to KC Pet Project documents obtained by The Star.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee,
Kansas City Star,
22 July 2025
Verb
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Under the masterful conditioning care of Brendan Walsh, this powerful striding colt came within a neck of shocking the world at odds of 15-1 in the second leg of the Triple Crown series.—
Danny Brewer,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
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Don’t be shocked if at least two from the aforementioned group are Heisman finalists. 4.—
Matt Hayes,
The Tennessean,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
Many Americans are demonstrably disgusted, shamed, and angered by their tyrants, but mainstream literary and intellectual institutions seem unable or unwilling to give voice to them.—
Pankaj Mishra,
Harpers Magazine,
16 July 2025
-
Interestingly enough, by 1920 Jarvis was disgusted with how commercialized Mother's Day had become.—
Grace Tucker,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Verb
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Animal lovers were moved and horrified by the rescue of a tiny orange kitten, found with a broken glass jar around his neck.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
-
Based on the first novella in Martha Wells’ book series, Murderbot is a sci-fi thriller/comedy about a self-hacking security construct who is horrified by human emotion yet drawn to its vulnerable clients, played by Alexander Skarsgård.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
10 July 2025
Verb
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The firing of career prosecutors calls to mind how Bondi, as Florida attorney general, forced out two assistants who offended a Jacksonville company linked to mortgage fraud investigations.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
14 July 2025
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Some of Lamar’s bars in that track offended Drake and helped ignite their public feud.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Appall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/appall. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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