English vocabulary · C1
Appall
/əˈpɔːl/ · v.
Appall means to shock someone very deeply. It can make a person feel upset, sick, or afraid.
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Example sentences
- The dirty room appalled us.
- The news was appalling.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- pall — pale (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- SHOCK — a bad surprise (Big Surprise)
- HORRIFY — cause deep fear (Make Afraid)
- DISGUST — make someone feel sick (Feel Sick)
Words with the same root
pall — pale
- pale — light in color
- pallid — very pale
- pallor — pale face color
Lesson notes
Appall means to shock someone very deeply. It can make a person feel upset, sick, or afraid.
Related: shock, horrify, disgust. Use appall when something is very bad and deeply shocking.
The dirty room appalled us. The news was appalling.
From Latin. Pall means pale. A shocking thing can make your face pale: it can appall you.