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
Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 21 May 2024
The inspectors were startled, but the surprise naturist was blasé.
—Matt Thompson, SPIN, 13 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for startle 
Verb
Despite being startled awake, the woman was able to fight back.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 21 May 2024
The inspectors were startled, but the surprise naturist was blasé.
—Matt Thompson, SPIN, 13 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for startle
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 28 May. 2024.
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