appalling experience

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "appalling experience" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation or event that is shocking, terrible, or extremely unpleasant. Example: "The customer service I received was an appalling experience that left me frustrated and dissatisfied."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

"I think he found the whole thing an appalling experience".

The Guardian

I think he had found the whole thing an appalling experience".

The Guardian

"A mortifying and appalling experience," said one, while another fan posted on the standup's Facebook page: "Absolutely awful.

The Guardian

You can see, looking at this accident, what an appalling experience it must have been for everyone.

The Guardian

The point missed is that we are talking here of a community whose universally appalling experience of many services - including the medical ones - appears to be ignored wholesale.

Independent

Don't get excited, I haven't been up to anything grand or illicit, I have merely endured the appalling experience of residential relocation over the bank holiday weekend.

The Guardian - Music

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

They are special, he says, and we should take special care of them, because they encapsulate our response to appalling experiences of atrocity and injustice.

The New York Times - Books

The playwright's memoirs, published 30 years after he finished The Glass Menagerie, also concluded with a reference to Rose, applauding "the gallantry with which appalling experiences are survived with grace".

The Guardian

It is also because, despite their appalling experiences of civilian leadership, and their acquiescence in his coup, Pakistanis have tired of army rule.The bad news in this book is that General Musharraf refuses to recognise this truth: "The Pakistan Army has always been held in high esteem as the only powerful stabilising factor in the nation," he insists.

The Economist

Affleck's decision to get back in the spandex would be like Hollywood's favourite silver fox signing on to play a superhero once again despite his appalling experiences on Joel Schumacher's Batman and Robin, the 1997 comic-book flick that very nearly destroyed his career.

The Guardian - Film

Rather than setting up a situation and then focusing on one individual, it begins with John and his appalling experiences while growing up, and just when you've got really interested in him, it broadens out to let us hear from the customers and owners of a gay male sauna.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a particularly negative event, use the phrase "appalling experience" to convey a strong sense of shock, disgust, or outrage, ensuring your audience understands the severity of the situation.

Common error

Avoid using "appalling experience" to describe mildly unpleasant situations. Reserve it for truly shocking or egregious events to maintain its impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "appalling experience" functions as a descriptive noun phrase. The adjective "appalling" modifies the noun "experience", indicating a profoundly negative quality. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "appalling experience" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase that effectively communicates a profoundly negative event or situation. As Ludwig AI has indicated, it appears most frequently in news and media, conveying a strong sense of shock or outrage. When writing, reserve this phrase for truly egregious situations to maximize its impact, and consider related terms such as "horrific experience" or "dreadful experience" to achieve different nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

horrific experience

Emphasizes the shocking and disturbing nature of the experience, intensifying the negativity.

dreadful experience

Focuses on the unpleasantness and fear associated with the experience.

terrible ordeal

Highlights the prolonged suffering and difficulty of the experience.

awful experience

A more general term for a very unpleasant or bad experience.

shocking incident

Shifts focus to the unexpected and disturbing nature of a particular event.

traumatic event

Highlights the lasting emotional damage caused by the experience.

unpleasant situation

A milder way to describe a negative encounter or set of circumstances.

negative encounter

General term to describe bad interactions with people.

unfavorable circumstance

Describes a challenging situation or event with negative implications.

adverse event

A formal or clinical term for an undesirable occurrence.

FAQs

What does "appalling experience" mean?

The phrase "appalling experience" describes an event or situation that is extremely bad, shocking, or unpleasant.

How can I use "appalling experience" in a sentence?

You can use "appalling experience" to describe something extremely negative, such as "The customer service was an "appalling experience"."

What are some alternatives to "appalling experience"?

Some alternatives include "horrific experience", "terrible ordeal", or "dreadful experience", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to use "appalling experience" instead of "bad experience"?

Use "appalling experience" when the situation is significantly worse than merely "bad". It implies a level of shock, disgust, or outrage that "bad experience" does not convey.