startlement

noun

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
  1. astonishment
  2. amazement
  3. shock
  4. surprise
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
Definition of astonishment
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
Definition of amazement
Noun
  • Authorities said the driver was able to talk but appeared to be in shock after Tuesday’s crash, which hit pedestrians and food vendors at a busy intersection in the North Hollywood neighborhood during the height of the evening commute.
    — David Swanson, Chicago Tribune, 11 Nov. 2026
  • In the 2026 midterm elections, the GOP faced crushing losses as Democrats took control of the House and the Senate, following shock victories in Republican strongholds like Texas, South Carolina and Kansas.
    — Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of shock
Noun
  • His victory was seen as a bit of a surprise, as forecasters like the Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball placed the race in their Lean Republican categories.
    — Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Then again, the trade deadline usually has one or two big surprises.
    — Sean Hammond, Chicago Tribune, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of surprise
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.

Browse Nearby Words

startled
startlement
startlements
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Cite this Entry

“Startlement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/startlement. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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