startlement

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
  • Its laughs are more often born out of astonishment than intentional comic craft.
    — Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Or someone sees the light on in Rita’s room and their eyes meet for a second, from a distance, observing one another with astonishment.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • To the continued amazement of advantage players, casino operatives can argue with apparent conviction that card counting— essentially mental arithmetic—is a form of fraud.
    — Kit Chellel, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
  • No harsh chemicals for her, much to the amazement and envy of her Ghanaian classmates.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The United States also has a uniquely large and diverse economy that is far less susceptible to shocks than many of its smaller peers.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Duncan says the initial shock usually fades after a round or two, and cycling back and forth multiple times yields better results.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • From a computational perspective, Friston argues, attempting to reduce uncertainty—basically, working to avoid unpleasant surprises—is the brain’s primary goal.
    — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Students had a surprise visitor — Kendall Jenner, who popped in to their classroom, looking way collegiate in an all-white outfit and sweater around her neck.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Startlement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/startlement. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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