appal

Appal is a verb meaning to fill someone with strong feelings of shock, horror, or dismay. In British English it is spelled appal, while American English prefers appall. The word is typically transitive: for example, “The report appalled the public.” It also exists in the past participle form, appalled, and in the present participle form, appalling. The adjective appalling describes something that causes horror or dismay.

Etymology and spelling variants are tied to regional usage. Appal appears with a single l in the British tradition, while the American form uses double l. The origin is generally traced to a- plus pall, with pall reflecting gloom or dulling effect; the sense is to bring or cause a state of horror or dismay upon someone. The distinction between spellings is a common example of British–American differences in English orthography.

Usage notes and common collocations: appal is typically reserved for strong moral or emotional reactions, especially to disturbing events, policies, or conditions. Phrases include “be appalled by” or “be appalled at.” The related adjective appalling is widely used to describe shocking things, such as appalling conditions or an appalling crime. In softer or more neutral contexts, verbs like horrify or shock may be more appropriate, depending on intensity.

See also: appall and appalling as related forms; synonyms such as horrify, shock, and outrage; antonyms like reassure or delight.