startle

1 of 2

verb

star·​tle ˈstär-tᵊl 

startled; startling ˈstär-tᵊl-iŋ 

ˈstärt-liŋ

intransitive verb

: to move or jump suddenly (as in surprise or alarm)

the baby startles easily

transitive verb

: to frighten or surprise suddenly and usually not seriously

startlement

ˈstär-tᵊl-mənt 

noun

startle

2 of 2

noun

: a sudden mild shock (as of surprise or alarm)

Synonyms

Verb

• amaze
• surprise
• stun
• shock
• astonish

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

Verb

Also, when purchasing hiking gear to wear for gorilla trekking, buy only neutral colors—like army green, khaki, black, and tan — to avoid startling them and drawing extra attention to yourself. —Claire Gallam, Travel + Leisure, 23 July 2025

However, the unexpected authenticity of the situation to her Memphis roots initially startled the artist. —Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025

Noun

Perry collected herself after the initial startle and resumed the song when the set design was stabilized. —Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2025

Threaten the rubber hand by attempting to stab it with a dagger, for instance, and the participants exhibit an involuntary startle or fear response. —ArsTechnica, 31 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English stertlen, frequentative of sterten to start

First Known Use

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1603, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

startle

verb

star·​tle

ˈstärt-ᵊl

startled; startling

ˈstärt-liŋ,

-ᵊl-iŋ

1

: to move or jump suddenly (as in surprise or fright)

2

: to frighten suddenly and usually not seriously

the kitten startles easily

startle noun