as in astonishment
the state of being strongly impressed by something unexpected or unusual
the look of startlement in her eyes when she found herself at the wedding seated next to her ex-boyfriend
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for startlement
Noun
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Even with that success, two less-than-stellar seasons in 2022 and 2023 were all Titans leadership needed to show Vrabel the door, firing him after a 6-11 season to mild astonishment from around the league.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026 -
In a recent appearance on the Katie Miller Podcast — hosted by the wife of Stephen Miller, who currently serves as homeland security advisor to the White House — Kennedy expressed astonishment that the president is even alive.—
Joe Wilkins,
Futurism,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
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To my amazement, up shot Leo’s hand.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
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So when the Post relaunched Book World in 2022, readers and writers reacted with the same mixture of amazement and trepidation inspired by the dinosaurs at Jurassic Park.—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Due to a lightweight insole, grippy outsole, shock-absorbing heel, and secure lace-up closure, that was made possible.—
Ruby McAuliffe,
InStyle,
7 Feb. 2026
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His rapid success is hardly a shock to coach Tai Streets.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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And to some surprise, that contract ended up being extremely reasonable.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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Texas Democrats got to enjoy the glow of a surprise victory in Tarrant County for just about a day before the party reverted to its uncommon capacity for self-immolation.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Startlement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/startlement. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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