startled; startling
ˈstär-tᵊl-iŋ 
ˈstärt-liŋ
: 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 of startle
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
Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN Money, 1 Dec. 2025
The shooting death of a West Virginia National Guard member and wounding of another near the White House shouldn’t startle anyone.
—Paul Bedard, The Washington Examiner, 29 Nov. 2025
Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
Knott’s Berry Farm associate producer Pasta Rago showed me how to do the startle scare and lunge.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for startle
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Verb
Suddenly, five sets of footsteps break through the silence and startle the 26-year-old Nicaraguan woman who’s about to plead her asylum case.
—Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN Money, 1 Dec. 2025
The shooting death of a West Virginia National Guard member and wounding of another near the White House shouldn’t startle anyone.
—Paul Bedard, The Washington Examiner, 29 Nov. 2025
Noun
The wife, who’d been fixated on the cages, shook with a startle, as if waking from a dream.
—Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
Knott’s Berry Farm associate producer Pasta Rago showed me how to do the startle scare and lunge.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for startle
Cite this Entry
“Startle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/startle. Accessed 4 Dec. 2025.
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