Also spelled appal

US /əˈpɔːl/
verb Freq #163098

Meanings

  1. 1
    verb

    To shock and horrify someone deeply.

    The cruelty of the crime appalled the entire community.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 verb · to shock and horrify... horrifydismayfrightenoutrage
Word family
Forms appalledappalls
Derived forms appallerappallment

Etymology

From Middle English apallen, from Old French apalir (“to grow pale, make pale”); a (Latin ad) + palir (“to grow pale, to make pale”), pâle (“pale”), from pallere. See pale (adj.) and compare with pall.

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