What does appalling mean?
Appalling is an adjective used to describe something shockingly bad — so bad that it provokes horror, outrage, or strong dismay. It covers two closely related uses: things that are morally shocking, such as appalling cruelty or appalling living conditions, and things that are simply extremely poor, such as appalling weather, appalling manners, or an appalling performance. Because it carries such force, the word is common in journalism, official reports, and everyday complaint alike, where a milder term like 'bad' would understate the case. It derives from the verb appal (American spelling appall), meaning to fill with horror or dismay, which itself comes from Old French 'apalir', to grow pale — so at root, something appalling literally makes you pale with fear. A useful quirk: change a single letter and 'appalling' becomes 'appealing', its pleasant-sounding opposite, making the pair a favourite example of how small spelling slips can reverse meaning entirely.
adjectiveShockingly bad or dreadful; causing horror, dismay, or disgust. It can describe anything from appalling behaviour and conditions to an appalling mistake.
- Causing shock, horror, or disgust (e.g. appalling cruelty, appalling violence).
- Extremely bad or of very poor quality (e.g. appalling weather, appalling service).
"The refugees were living in appalling conditions, with little food and no clean water."
"The report revealed appalling neglect of patients in the care home."
"We had to abandon the hike because of truly appalling weather."
Swap one letter and 'appalling' becomes its cheerful opposite 'appealing' — a typo that can turn a horror story into an invitation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of appalling
Appalling comes from the verb appal (also spelled appall in American English), meaning to overcome with horror or dismay. That verb entered English in the late Middle Ages from Old French 'apalir', meaning to grow pale or turn white, formed from 'a-' (to, toward) and 'palir' (to grow pale), ultimately linked to Latin 'pallere', to be pale. Over time the sense shifted from making someone pale with fright to describing anything horrifyingly or shockingly bad, giving modern English both the verb and its now-dominant adjectival form.
Related word forms
How appalling is actually used
Appalling is strongly negative in connotation and is used in both formal reporting (news, official inquiries) and everyday complaint. In British English it is also used colloquially as an intensifier of disapproval ('that's absolutely appalling'). The verb from which it derives is spelled 'appal' in British English but usually 'appall' in American English.
Easily confused with appalling
Appealing means attractive or inviting, the near-opposite of appalling; the two differ by a single letter and are sometimes mistyped for one another.