startled; startling
ˈstärt-liŋ 
ˈstär-tᵊl-iŋ
: to move or jump suddenly (as in surprise or alarm)
the baby startles easily
: to frighten or surprise suddenly and usually not seriously
: a sudden mild shock (as of surprise or alarm)
Synonyms
Examples of startle in a Sentence
Verb
I'm sorry that I startled you.
the lightning startled the children and sent them scurrying for cover
Recent Examples on the Web
Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2024
That startled many people inside and out of City Hall, considering Gloria’s creation of that department was hailed as a major step by the administration to address homelessness.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2024
America was back-back-back from the Carter malaise, with patriotic juices stirred, the industrial base invigorated, the Soviets startled, and soon thereafter, and much to the surprise of the best and brightest, the rich paying a still larger share of the nation’s tax bill.
—Neal B. Freeman, National Review, 7 Apr. 2024
Don't run or make any sudden movements that could startle the snake.
—The Arizona Republic, 13 Mar. 2024
Puppies tend to operate with joyous abandon, which can startle the cats and get everyone off on the wrong foot.
—Joan Morris, The Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2024
This tyranny demands that Japan avoid abrupt, provocative moves that might startle China.
—Tomohiko Taniguchi, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2024
Recently, elementary students were outside during recess when the sight of billowing parachutes in the sky startled them.
—Daniel Estrin, NPR, 11 Apr. 2024
The sound of the missile explosion echoed through the funeral, startling the mourners.
—Constant Méheut Oksana Parafeniuk, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2024
Lauren Leffer, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2024
For very small babies, swaddling the arms is effective at reducing their startle reflex—which can be disruptive to sleep.
—Samson McDougall, Parents, 8 Sep. 2023
When he was told the shot was in, his eyes opened with a startle, then fell toward the floor.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 10 July 2023
Swaddling also helps prevent babies' natural startle reflex from waking them up, and having their arms held down keeps them from scratching themselves with their razor-sharp little newborn nails.
—Jessica Hartshorn, Good Housekeeping, 22 Feb. 2023
An exaggerated startle response and hypervigilance.
—Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 16 Feb. 2023
Henning and Muche let out a startle, however, when a beaver struck the bottom of their canoe.
—Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 2 Oct. 2022
And while Levins, 32, of Frankfort, acknowledged the animals may play into some people’s phobias, a startle can be the start of a conversation with one of Crosstown’s handlers.
—Bill Jones, chicagotribune.com, 11 Oct. 2021
Those penguins themselves had something of the startle of art — the reveal of the ever-present real that’s hidden, paradoxically, by information.
—New York Times, 8 July 2020
Verb
In separate interviews, the three men recalled when, in a rush, directors failed to entirely seal off a bridge before staging a special-effects explosion, startling a grip who was walking at the end of the bridge.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2024
That startled many people inside and out of City Hall, considering Gloria’s creation of that department was hailed as a major step by the administration to address homelessness.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2024
America was back-back-back from the Carter malaise, with patriotic juices stirred, the industrial base invigorated, the Soviets startled, and soon thereafter, and much to the surprise of the best and brightest, the rich paying a still larger share of the nation’s tax bill.
—Neal B. Freeman, National Review, 7 Apr. 2024
Don't run or make any sudden movements that could startle the snake.
—The Arizona Republic, 13 Mar. 2024
Puppies tend to operate with joyous abandon, which can startle the cats and get everyone off on the wrong foot.
—Joan Morris, The Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2024
This tyranny demands that Japan avoid abrupt, provocative moves that might startle China.
—Tomohiko Taniguchi, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2024
Recently, elementary students were outside during recess when the sight of billowing parachutes in the sky startled them.
—Daniel Estrin, NPR, 11 Apr. 2024
The sound of the missile explosion echoed through the funeral, startling the mourners.
—Constant Méheut Oksana Parafeniuk, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2024
Noun
Vasas and her colleagues also captured the brief startle display of a black swallowtail caterpillar and saw for the first time that its hornlike defense appendages are UV-reflective.
—Lauren Leffer, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2024
For very small babies, swaddling the arms is effective at reducing their startle reflex—which can be disruptive to sleep.
—Samson McDougall, Parents, 8 Sep. 2023
When he was told the shot was in, his eyes opened with a startle, then fell toward the floor.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 10 July 2023
Swaddling also helps prevent babies' natural startle reflex from waking them up, and having their arms held down keeps them from scratching themselves with their razor-sharp little newborn nails.
—Jessica Hartshorn, Good Housekeeping, 22 Feb. 2023
An exaggerated startle response and hypervigilance.
—Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 16 Feb. 2023
Henning and Muche let out a startle, however, when a beaver struck the bottom of their canoe.
—Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 2 Oct. 2022
And while Levins, 32, of Frankfort, acknowledged the animals may play into some people’s phobias, a startle can be the start of a conversation with one of Crosstown’s handlers.
—Bill Jones, chicagotribune.com, 11 Oct. 2021
Those penguins themselves had something of the startle of art — the reveal of the ever-present real that’s hidden, paradoxically, by information.
—New York Times, 8 July 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'startle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Startle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/startle. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
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