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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Whispers ripple in astonishment, and nods of approval are seen throughout the audience.—
Zoe Bahjat,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026 -
To his astonishment, the country’s Central Statistics Office had dropped price tracking of the nation’s most popular beer in 2011.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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There was 8-year-old Landyn Kelly from Henderson, Nevada, rapping 40-foot putts toward the hole with 90-year-old Player watching with amazement.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
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The book is a mostly light-hearted exploration of Bennett's relationship with the tournament, from growing up in England rooting for his local soccer heroes, to watching in amazement every four years as teams from all over the globe take the spotlight on the World Cup stage.—
Jeffrey Pierre,
NPR,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In the following months, painful shocks radiated through her chest and back.—
Brett Kelman,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
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Unlike past economic shocks to the system, such as the Great Recession or Covid, there will be fewer tools for the government to use to lessen the blow for businesses and consumers.—
Kevin Williams,
CNBC,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The surprise is that there’s an American city that has pursued a similar approach, and the greater surprise is that the city is Hoboken, New Jersey, better known as a post-industrial port and bedroom community across the Hudson River from Manhattan.—
Eric Klinenberg,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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But Beren is definitely a surprise.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Startlement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/startlement. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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