aghast

UK: /əˈgɑːst/ US: /əˈgæst/ ,(ə gast′, ə gäst′)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

a•ghast /əˈgæst/   adj. 

1. [be + ~] filled with sudden fear, horror, or amazement:
   was aghast after witnessing the accident.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

a•ghast  (ə gast′, ə gäst′), adj. 

1. struck with overwhelming shock or amazement;
   filled with sudden fright or horror:
   They stood aghast at the sight of the plane crashing.

• Gmc causative *gaistjan; see ghost
• Middle English agast frightened, past participle of agasten, equivalent. to a- a-³ + gasten, Old English gǣstan to frighten, earlier *gāstjan 1225–75

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

aghast / əˈɡɑːst/ adjective

1. (postpositive) overcome with amazement or horror

Etymology: 13th Century: agast, from Old English gæstan to frighten. The spelling with gh is on the model of ghastly