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
  • 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
Noun
  • Çayoğlu mentions his amazement at meeting fans in Italy and Argentina, representations of their work crossing borders.
    Kambole Campbell, Variety, 7 July 2026
  • The two, alongside friend Cameron Munro, were among the thousands of Scottish supporters who descended on Fenway Park earlier this week, to the amazement and delight of many Red Sox fans.
    Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2026
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
Noun
  • Atlanta, to no one’s surprise, remains entrenched in the mix of rotating CFP sites.
    Mike Griffith, AJC.com, 10 July 2026
  • His predecessor, Joe Biden, made a surprise visit to the country in 2023 as president, nearly a year after the conflict with Russia began.
    Jamie Gray, NBC news, 9 July 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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“Startlement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/startlement. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

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