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
What’s startling is how quickly yesterday’s propaganda has morphed into a neutral statement on American policy.
—
Quico Toro, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
Now his name is trending again, his lawsuit against his parents a startling revelation.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
What happened next turned a startling find into a genuine mystery.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
Much that’s memorable in the new movie is nonfictional in an ordinary, baseline, yet therefore all the more startling way.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for startling
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Quico Toro, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
Now his name is trending again, his lawsuit against his parents a startling revelation.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
What happened next turned a startling find into a genuine mystery.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
Much that’s memorable in the new movie is nonfictional in an ordinary, baseline, yet therefore all the more startling way.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for startling
Cite this Entry
“Startling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/startling. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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