What does appallingly mean?
Appallingly is an adverb describing something done or experienced in a way that shocks, horrifies, or deeply dismays. Its core sense conveys extreme badness: conditions may be appallingly cruel, a performance appallingly poor, or behaviour appallingly rude. Alongside this serious use, especially in British English, it functions as an informal intensifier meaning simply 'extremely' — one might say the weather was appallingly cold or a film was appallingly funny — where the tone is emphatic rather than horrified. The word derives from 'appal', which traces back through Old French 'apalir' ('to grow pale') to the idea of blanching with fear. Closely related forms are the verb 'appall' and the adjective 'appalling'. Appallingly pairs naturally with adjectives such as bad, slow, and behaved, and should not be confused with its near-twin 'appealingly', which means almost exactly the opposite. It is a versatile, vivid word for expressing degrees of shock or extremity.
adverbIn a manner that causes shock, horror, or dismay; extremely badly or to a shocking degree. It is also used informally as an intensifier meaning 'very' or 'extremely'.
- In a shocking, horrifying, or disgraceful manner; extremely badly.
- As an informal intensifier: very, extremely (e.g. 'appallingly cold weather').
"The prisoners were appallingly treated, with little food and no medical care."
"Conditions in the refugee camp were appallingly overcrowded."
"The service at the restaurant was appallingly slow."
Swap one letter and 'appallingly' becomes its cheerful opposite, 'appealingly' — a typo that could turn a horror story into a love letter.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of appallingly
Appallingly derives from the verb 'appal', which entered English in the late Middle Ages from Old French 'apalir', meaning 'to grow pale' — originally describing the physical blanching caused by fear or shock. The root sense of turning pale with terror underlies the modern meaning of shocking or horrifying. The adjective 'appalling' and the adverb 'appallingly' developed from this verb, with the adverb well established by the nineteenth century.
Related word forms
How appallingly is actually used
Common in both formal reporting of atrocities or failures and informal British usage as a general intensifier ('appallingly good', 'appallingly expensive'). The intensifier sense carries a slightly wry tone rather than genuine horror.
Easily confused with appallingly
'Appealingly' means in an attractive, charming, or persuasive way, while 'appallingly' means in a shocking or dreadful way — near-opposites that differ by only one letter.