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

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for startlement
  1. astonishment
  2. amazement
  3. shock
  4. surprise
Noun
  • The Platts look on with astonishment when their idyllic 1970s neighborhood appears to be transported way back in time.
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 30 July 2026
  • The revelation itself becomes part of the artwork, shifting the experience from astonishment to reflection and encouraging a more critical examination of the assumptions that shape everyday life.
    — Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
Definition of astonishment
Noun
  • Sitting in a swivel chair in a hotel conference room, Victor Peng stares out the window at the Chicago River with a look of amazement.
    — Tal Rosenberg, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026
  • To my amazement, within a few weeks, Elizabeth had gotten into the habit of asking nicely instead of nagging.
    — Debby Waldman, Parents, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of amazement
Noun
  • But the market’s impressive ability to at least partially work its way around the conflict has also prevented prices from surging as astronomically high as the world’s largest-ever oil supply shock would suggest.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
  • One was contextual fear conditioning, in which an animal learns to associate a particular box with a mild electric shock.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of shock
Noun
  • While Harry and Meghan’s decision is a surprise to many, royal historian Ed Owens said recent events created a pathway for the couple's return.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • For Lush’s head of concepts and collaborations Kalem Brinkworth, the intensity of the group’s fandom was a surprise.
    — Kati Chitrakorn, Vogue, 21 Aug. 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
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Startlement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/startlement. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tilde

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All