1
as in amazes
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected
the lightning startled the children and sent them scurrying for cover
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
3
as in frightens
to strike with fear
loud noises always startle her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of startles
Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
Verb
As the dolphin gets closer to the glass, the Chihuahua lets out a bark that startles the dolphin, who then starts mimicking the dog's mouth movements in a sort of chasing game across species.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for startles
Verb
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What amazes me is how good human beings can be in a crisis.—
Rachel Handler,
Vulture,
21 Nov. 2025
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What amazes her is how someone chose to save these items and hang on to them for future generations.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Boitano said Liu was exceptional in her early years, performing jumps no other skater could execute at the time.—
Janelle Davis,
CBS News,
5 Jan. 2026
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Continue reading … DRAMATIC RESCUE – Viral video captures moments after mother jumps into water to save daughter.—
,
FOXNews.com,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Baker says what frightens her most is whether younger generations will ever be able to step off that wheel — to build generational wealth through homeownership.—
Elizabeth Prann,
The Hill,
10 Nov. 2025
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Within my book, one of the things that frightens me most is the fact that with censorship, there’s often not a clear red line, right?—
Fiction Non Fiction
October 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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These systems help ensure steady supplies for semiconductors, batteries and advanced manufacturing when trade restrictions, export controls or price shocks strain primary sources — allowing companies to manage costs and stay competitive.—
Kristen Edgreen Kaufman,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Those who came under suspicion were taken unwillingly to a military hospital in Pretoria, cut off from their families, and subjected to electric shocks.—
Eve Fairbanks,
The Dial,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Nicole Kidman stuns in an orange ensemble while in Paris, as Diane Kruger and Norman Reedus have a rare date night at the Armani Privé show during Paris Fashion Week.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The versatile shade stuns on its own, layered under chrome, or baked into a design.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But for real chills and scares, the granddaddy The Blair Witch Project still is the crown jewel.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Is there somewhere that scares you?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And the thing that hits is the thing that surprises you.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
31 Jan. 2026
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So, there’s no number that surprises me anymore.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And this absolutely terrifies me.—
Inga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
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Rows sit silent at Karmel Mall as the immigration crackdown terrifies customers and workers, paralyzing the economic hub for Minneapolis’s largest Somali population.—
Sarah Raza,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Startles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/startles. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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