- Are you looking for a more powerful word than “very bad” to describe a shocking situation?
- Do you know which specific nouns naturally follow the word “appalling”?
- Are you unsure whether to use “very” or “absolutely” when intensifying this adjective?
Mastering Appalling Collocations is essential for moving from intermediate to advanced English. In linguistic terms, “appalling” is an extreme adjective, meaning its impact depends heavily on the words it sits next to. By learning these natural pairings, you avoid the “mental translation” trap, reduce language anxiety, and speak with the precision of a native speaker.
Common Collocations with Appalling as an Adjective
In modern English, “appalling” functions almost exclusively as an adjective. It is used to describe things that are not just “bad,” but shockingly or disgustingly poor in quality or morality.
Describing Human Behavior and Conduct
When we talk about how people act, “appalling” highlights a complete lack of manners or ethics.
- Appalling behavior: “The children were sent home due to their appalling behavior during the field trip.”
- Appalling manners: “It is appalling manners to speak with your mouth full of food.”
- Appalling ignorance: “The politician displayed an appalling ignorance of basic economics.”
- Appalling cruelty: “The report detailed cases of appalling cruelty toward animals.”
Describing Standards and Performance
This is common in business, education, and service industries to indicate a failure to meet basic expectations.
- Appalling standards: “The safety inspector closed the factory citing appalling standards.”
- Appalling service: “We waited two hours for our appetizers; the appalling service ruined our night.”
- Appalling record: “The team has an appalling record this season, losing every single home game.”
- Appalling quality: “I returned the coat because the stitching was of appalling quality.”
Describing Living Conditions and Environments
Used to describe physical states that are horrific or difficult to endure.
- Appalling conditions: “Many refugees are living in appalling conditions without clean water.”
- Appalling weather: “The match was canceled due to the appalling weather in London.”
- Appalling poverty: “The documentary highlighted the appalling poverty in the city’s slums.”
Common Adverb Intensifiers
Since “appalling” is a “limit” or “strong” adjective, we use specific adverbs to emphasize it. We rarely use “very” with appalling.
- Absolutely appalling: “The way they treat their staff is absolutely appalling.”
- Truly appalling: “It was a truly appalling performance by the lead actor.”
- Quite appalling: (Common in British English) “I found the lack of preparation quite appalling.”
The Master Summary Table
| Collocation | Part of Speech | Quick Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Appalling conditions | Adjective + Noun | Extremely poor or dirty living/working state. |
| Absolutely appalling | Adverb + Adjective | Total emphasis on how shocking something is. |
| Appalling behavior | Adjective + Noun | Shockingly rude or unethical conduct. |
| Appalling lack of… | Adj + Noun + Prep | A shocking deficiency in something (like respect). |
| Find (something) appalling | Verb + Adjective | To have the opinion that something is shocking. |
Common Mistakes: Natural vs Unnatural
| Do Not Say | Say This |
|---|---|
| Very appalling | Absolutely appalling / Totally appalling |
| The movie was appalling me. | The movie was appalling. / I found the movie appalling. |
| An appalling of service | Appalling service |
| I feel appalling. (when sick) | I feel terrible / awful. (“Appalling” describes external things). |
“To the Management Team, I am writing to express my disappointment regarding the appalling service we received at your gala last night. The appalling conditions in the kitchen area, which were visible from our table, were absolutely appalling. Furthermore, the appalling lack of professionalism from the waitstaff made for a truly appalling experience for our clients.”
Frequently Asked Questions about Appalling Collocations
Is “appalling” the same as “terrible”?
While similar, “appalling” is much stronger. “Terrible” can describe a bad day or a headache. “Appalling” implies that the situation is so bad it is shocking, offensive, or morally wrong.
Can I say “I am appalling at math”?
While some people use it informally, it is more natural and common to say “I am appalling at…” to mean you are very bad at a skill. However, native speakers often prefer “I am hopeless at math” or “I am terrible at math.”
Why can’t I say “very appalling”?
In English, “appalling” is a “non-gradable” adjective. It already means “very, very bad.” You cannot be “very” at a maximum state. Instead, use “absolutely,” “totally,” or “completely.”
What is the difference between “appalling” and “appalled”?
This is a common “ing/ed” adjective confusion. “Appalling” describes the thing that causes the shock (The news was appalling). “Appalled” describes the person feeling the shock (I was appalled by the news).
Is “appalling” used more in US or UK English?
It is used in both, but corpus data shows it is slightly more frequent in British English, especially when describing weather or service quality.
I like the way you explained the difference between 'bad' and 'shockingly poor.' It helps me visualize the level of intensity required for this word.
I've been using 'shocking' for everything. 'Appalling' sounds much more sophisticated for my university assignments. Thanks for the examples!
The article mentions 'appalling cruelty.' Does this word always have to be followed by a noun, or can I say 'The situation was appalling'?
You can definitely use it alone, Dimitri! 'The situation was appalling' is a perfect, complete sentence. The collocations just help you add more specific detail.
Can 'appalling' be used in a business meeting? 'The quarterly results are appalling.' Is that too strong for a professional setting?
It is very strong, Wei. If you use it in a meeting, you are sending a very serious message of disappointment or shock. Use it only if the situation is truly disastrous!
I'm a teacher in Germany and I'm sharing this list with my advanced students. The distinction between 'very' and 'absolutely' for extreme adjectives is a crucial lesson.
Does 'appalling' always carry a moral judgment, or can it just describe something that is physically broken or in disrepair?
It can certainly describe physical things, Aarav! For example, 'The state of the roads is appalling' describes poor maintenance and physical holes, not necessarily a moral failing.
I just used 'appalling manners' in a conversation today! It felt so much more natural than saying 'his way of eating is very bad.' Thanks for the tip!
How do you pronounce 'appalling'? Is the 'a' at the beginning like in 'apple' or is it a schwa sound?
Great technical question, Jakub! It starts with a schwa /ə/, so it sounds like 'uh-PAUL-ing.' The stress is on the second syllable!
I noticed the example 'appalling ignorance of basic economics.' Can we use it for positive things sarcastically? Like 'He has an appalling amount of talent'?
Is 'appalling' more common in British English than American English? I feel like I hear 'terrible' or 'horrible' more in US movies.