appall

variants also appal

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb appall contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of appall are daunt, dismay, and horrify. While all these words mean "to unnerve or deter by arousing fear, apprehension, or aversion," appall implies that one is faced with that which perturbs, confounds, or shocks.

I am appalled by your behavior

When can daunt be used instead of appall?

The meanings of daunt and appall largely overlap; however, daunt suggests a cowing, disheartening, or frightening in a venture requiring courage.

a cliff that would daunt the most intrepid climber

When is it sensible to use dismay instead of appall?

The words dismay and appall can be used in similar contexts, but dismay implies that one is disconcerted and at a loss as to how to deal with something.

dismayed at the size of the job

In what contexts can horrify take the place of appall?

In some situations, the words horrify and appall are roughly equivalent. However, horrify stresses a reaction of horror or revulsion.

was horrified by such wanton cruelty

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of appall 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 These attacks weren't meant to appall liberals; they were meant to entice conservatives. Grayson Quay, The Week, 21 July 2022 To borrow a phrase from 19th-century Parisian poets, Épater la bourgeoisie—to shock and appall the middle class. Dan Neil, WSJ, 23 June 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for appall
Verb
  • No matter what your views are on Israel & Palestine, we should all be terrified of a government incarcerating its residents for their political opinions.
    Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Carolina Waterfowl Rescue has a history of rescuing snakes from predicaments in the region, including the venomous species that seem to terrify the public.
    Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Three shipping crates contain all the materials, including precut wall boards, flooring, roof supplies, prehung doors and windows, nails, screws, door handles, and a lock for the front door.
    Toni Sutton, People.com, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Wilson and eight other Omega Psi Phi fraternity pledges went to a warehouse of a flooring company in Baton Rouge on Feb. 26 for a meeting, according to the arrest warrant.
    Nicole Brown Chau, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Seeing those kinds of numbers in headlines may have started to frighten U.S. consumers, data shows.
    Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 4 Mar. 2025
  • While full autonomy may frighten many, most drivers do still want automakers to focus on safety tech.
    John Koetsier, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Higher prices and looming economic uncertainty could scare off consumers, experts previously told ABC News.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Mozer yelled out of his apartment window, scaring Moseley off.
    Jessica Sager, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Fans and the producers were shocked by their final choice because of how Brion had acted during the show.
    Emily Blackwood, People.com, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Rachel Zegler is still shocked by some of her experiences throughout the West Side Story casting process.
    Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • In her discussion of Christianity, King relishes the absurdity that results when a religion that is disgusted by female sexuality also engages in mother worship.
    S. C. Cornell, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Once again, DeSantis has gone too far — in this case, ideologically and geographically — and people who surely voted for him in the state’s most conservative region are disgusted.
    Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Canadians have watched, horrified, as Trump has repeatedly threatened to bring in 25% tariffs—which could kill up to 600,000 jobs in Canada—unless Canada agrees to become the 51st state.
    Stephen Maher, TIME, 9 Mar. 2025
  • For those who would like to be horrified, check out who the mascot for New Orleans' NBA team is.
    Sabrina Moreno, Axios, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • When Davis asked if she was offended by his desire to keep things lowkey, Taylor laughed it off.
    EW.com, EW.com, 17 Mar. 2025
  • The father, who everyone thinks will be offended by a guest’s outburst at the Sabbath table, laughs in delight.
    Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Appall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/appall. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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