appal verb

(-ll-) (US usually appall) Click to hear the UK pronunciation of this word

/əˈpɔːl/

/-ˈpɑːl/ v [T]

Definition

to make someone have strong feelings of shock or of disapproval

I was appalled at/by the lack of staff in the hospital.

The state of the kitchen appalled her.

/əˈpɔːld/

/-ˈpɑːld/ adj

an appalled silence/fascination

(Definition of appal verb from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

to lose in a sports competition when you were expected to win

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