appallingly wrong

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "appallingly wrong" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is extremely incorrect or morally unacceptable. Example: "The decision to ignore the evidence was appallingly wrong and undermined the integrity of the investigation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Something, it seems, has gone appallingly wrong.

The Economist

You can feel something going appallingly wrong, and the writers mapping it all out.

The Guardian - Books

In this context, Shipley's "customarily" is exactly the right word: it is not the custom among journalists to check with experts to make sure that what they publish isn't appallingly wrong.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Some people grow up in broken homes and get treated appallingly- yet they seem to understand right + wrong and accept responsibility for their actions.

Life Sciences, Society and Policy

He added: "There has never been any split on 42 days of any kind at all within the shadow cabinet; we have united in our view that the measure is unnecessary, wrong, and, in fact with the concessions we have now had, appallingly drafted".

The Guardian

When the best Hollywood can come up with seems to be vague plans to retool the Ghostbusters as ladies who cross streams, never mind Sly Stallone's appallingly titled "Expendabelles" concept, it's hard to see how they can go far wrong.

The Guardian - Film

It's also an upgrade because Douthat will take the "conservative columnist" spot recently vacated by Bill Kristol, who was tiresome, idiotic, wrong about every blessed thing he put his mind to and whose work for the Times was so appallingly phoned-in that it's a wonder the paper wasn't sued for malpractice.

Huffington Post

Appallingly racist?

The Economist

New Delhi, Moscow and São Paulo also did appallingly.

The Economist

And, appallingly, Blair obeyed.

The Guardian - Opinion

"Appallingly conceived," wrote The New York Times.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "appallingly wrong", ensure the context clearly establishes what standard or expectation is being violated. The severity of 'appallingly' should align with the actual impact of the error.

Common error

Avoid using "appallingly wrong" for minor inaccuracies or disagreements. The term carries a strong negative connotation and should be reserved for situations where the error is genuinely egregious and has significant consequences.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "appallingly wrong" functions as an adverb-adjective combination, where 'appallingly' modifies 'wrong' to intensify its meaning. This intensifier highlights the extreme degree to which something is incorrect or unacceptable. As Ludwig AI says, it's correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "appallingly wrong" is a grammatically sound and usable expression used to convey that something is severely incorrect or morally unacceptable. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. While relatively rare in frequency, it appears primarily in news and media contexts. When using this phrase, ensure the severity of 'appallingly' aligns with the actual impact of the error and avoid overstating the severity. Alternatives like "terribly mistaken" or "shockingly inaccurate" can be considered based on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

terribly mistaken

Replaces "appallingly" with "terribly" while retaining the core meaning of being significantly incorrect.

horrendously incorrect

Substitutes "appallingly" with "horrendously", emphasizing the severity of the error.

egregiously flawed

Replaces the entire phrase with a more formal expression indicating a glaring defect or mistake.

shockingly inaccurate

Uses "shockingly" instead of "appallingly" and "inaccurate" instead of "wrong", focusing on the surprise element of the incorrectness.

deplorably false

Replaces "appallingly" with "deplorably" and "wrong" with "false", highlighting the regrettable nature of the falsehood.

woefully inaccurate

Emphasizes the inadequacy and inaccuracy through the use of "woefully."

outrageously incorrect

Highlights the offensive nature of the incorrectness, adding a layer of moral judgment.

unforgivably mistaken

Focuses on the unpardonable nature of the mistake, suggesting severe consequences.

catastrophically wrong

Indicates that the mistake leads to disastrous outcomes.

abysmally incorrect

Uses "abysmally" to describe the depth or extent of the incorrectness.

FAQs

How can I use "appallingly wrong" in a sentence?

Use "appallingly wrong" to describe situations where something is severely incorrect or morally unacceptable. For example, "The decision to ignore the evidence was appallingly wrong and undermined the integrity of the investigation."

What are some alternatives to "appallingly wrong"?

You can use alternatives like "terribly mistaken", "horrendously incorrect", or "shockingly inaccurate" depending on the context.

What does "appallingly" mean in the phrase "appallingly wrong"?

In the phrase "appallingly wrong", "appallingly" intensifies the adjective "wrong", indicating that something is not just incorrect, but shockingly or horrifyingly so.

Is "appallingly wrong" a formal or informal expression?

"Appallingly wrong" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, but it's crucial to consider the audience. In highly formal settings, consider alternatives like "egregiously flawed" if appropriate.