startle

1 of 2

verb

star·​tle ˈstär-tᵊl How to pronounce startle (audio)
startled; startling ˈstär-tᵊl-iŋ How to pronounce startle (audio)
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 noun

startle

2 of 2

noun

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Another Epstein accuser looked up, startled, to see where the deafening sound was coming from. Josh Meyer, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025 Moments later, Bell and her sister were startled by a gunshot and found that the boy, Demeir Aston Douglas, shot himself between the eyes in his bedroom, according to prosecutors. William Lee, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
Yet the combination of startle, confusion, at least nineteen warning and caution messages, inconsistent information, and lack of recent experience hand-flying the aircraft led the crew to enter a dangerous stall. David Autor, The Atlantic, 24 Aug. 2025 Perry collected herself after the initial startle and resumed the song when the set design was stabilized. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for startle

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of startle was in 1530

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Startle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/startle. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on startle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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