startle 1 of 2

verb

ˈstär-tᵊl How to pronounce startle (audio)
Definition of startlenext
1
as in to amaze
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected the lightning startled the children and sent them scurrying for cover

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to jump
to move suddenly and sharply (as in surprise) the cat startled when the door slammed shut with a bang

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to frighten
to strike with fear loud noises always startle her

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

startle

2 of 2

noun

as in shock

Related Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of startle
Verb
The mobile phone alert startled many across the city-state of Dubai, the first such alert since the interim ceasefire. — Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026 Lansley said she has been startled by how chatbots can appear to display emotional intelligence. — ABC News, 22 June 2026
Noun
The record-scratch startle that jump-starts the dramatic arc occurs when Eleanor (Squibb) is trying to figure out what to do with herself at a Manhattan Jewish community center after recently relocating from Florida. — Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 25 Sep. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for startle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for startle
  1. amaze
  2. jump
  3. frighten
  4. shock
  5. surprise
  6. wince
  7. scare
  8. astonishment
Verb
  • Just before halftime, van Persie slipped past the Spanish defensive line to receive a long-range pass from teammate Daley Blind and looped the ball over Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas with a first-time diving header that amazed the audience.
    — Tushaar Kuthiala, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 July 2026
  • For the majority of viewers who held out for the subscription streaming release rather than paying to rent or purchase, this news is amaze, amaze, amaze.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of amaze
Verb
  • Jacy Jayne Before the match started, Fatal Influence jumped Tiffany Stratton, but Brie Bella hit the ring and made the save.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
  • Scotland set up in a 5-4-1 with Ryan Christie and John McGinn timing when to jump from their wide midfield positions to press the centre-backs and trap their build-up play.
    — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 18 July 2026
Definition of jump
Verb
  • Fireworks can frighten animals and send them scattering, but Jackie and Shadow’s eaglets apparently are made of sterner stuff.
    — Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • In those moments, what frightened her most was not her own safety but the knowledge that her husband was up there somewhere, flying in the same sky swarming with fighter planes dropping their bombs on Tehran.
    — Mahsa Alimardani, Time, 6 July 2026
Definition of frighten
Noun
  • European countries are increasingly left without any cushion to manage shocks, further exacerbating their negative effects.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 11 July 2026
  • Electricity prices have skyrocketed 45% since 2019, partially driven by supply shocks tied to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and the war with Iran in 2026, according to government data.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 11 July 2026
Definition of shock
Verb
  • But to go seven years without making the playoffs would have surprised any skeptic back then — if such skeptics even existed.
    — Max Bultman, New York Times, 17 July 2026
  • Guests are often surprised by dishes like the Razor Clams Casino and our Pistachio Pesto Pasta.
    — Shivani Vora, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of surprise
Verb
  • The original originalists, the Constitution’s framers, would have winced.
    — George F. Will, Washington Post, 1 July 2026
  • After the ensuing pitch to Max Schuemann, Skubal again winced and began pacing at the back of the mound.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 25 June 2026
Definition of wince
Verb
  • The company will need to regain customers' trust, just as other restaurants like McDonald's, Wendy's and Chipotle have had to in the past after health scares.
    — Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 17 July 2026
  • Significantly, High Plains offered alternatives to more expensive, two-drink-minimum club shows that might scare off casual comedy fans and newcomers to stand-up.
    — John Wenzel, Denver Post, 16 July 2026
Definition of scare
Noun
  • The tournament brought more than a million visitors into the country, and a striking number of them have spent the trip documenting their astonishment at things Americans stopped seeing years ago.
    — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • To the astonishment of many a Bobhead, Dylan’s guitarist Doug Lancio was replaced in Santa Barbara by Julian Lage, the youngish jazz star known for his work with Gary Burton and John Zorn.
    — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
Definition of astonishment

Browse Nearby Words

starting
startle
startled
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Cite this Entry

“Startle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/startle. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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