startling
adjective
star·tling
ˈstär-tᵊl-iŋ 
ˈstärt-liŋ
: causing fright, surprise, or astonishment
a startling discovery
startlingly
adverb
Examples of startling in a Sentence
Startling new evidence came to light during the trial.
He made a startling discovery.
It is a city of startling contrasts.
Recent Examples on the Web
And so, shortly after his startling, spirit-lifting victory in the primary last spring, the gentle flood of inquiries commenced.
—
Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
Perhaps the most startling surge is in Pakistan, which is experiencing one of the fastest solar revolutions in the world.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
With its abundance of concrete, startling interior views, and play of deep shadows, the design invokes the ornery inventiveness of Kahn and Paul Rudolph, combined with the corporate sleekness of MoMA’s most recent iterations by Yoshio Taniguchi and Diller Scofidio + Renfro.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 3 Nov. 2025
Diebel also ruled out a startling revelation from the doctor’s past that emerged after his death.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for startling
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Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
Perhaps the most startling surge is in Pakistan, which is experiencing one of the fastest solar revolutions in the world.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
With its abundance of concrete, startling interior views, and play of deep shadows, the design invokes the ornery inventiveness of Kahn and Paul Rudolph, combined with the corporate sleekness of MoMA’s most recent iterations by Yoshio Taniguchi and Diller Scofidio + Renfro.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 3 Nov. 2025
Diebel also ruled out a startling revelation from the doctor’s past that emerged after his death.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for startling
Cite this Entry
“Startling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/startling. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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