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
Noun
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
-
What amazes me is how the same film sparks such different conversations, depending on the room.—
Eitan Weiss,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Remus, who is now 5, amazes his family by reading books on his own, a development which Whittenburg attributes in part to the Imagination Library.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The woman jumps off the balcony.—
Rabih Alameddine
September 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Sep. 2025
-
One statistic really jumps off the page.—
Bernie Pleskoff,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Many of us are conditioned to think that our ultimate goal in life is to be with someone, so much so, that the mere thought of being alone frightens us.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The sunbathers of sleepy Amity Bay are helpless against the unexpected great white shark that hunts their coasts; Spielberg’s talent for suspense, effective horror shocks, and ingenious reinvention of the classic animal-attack movie remain as impressive as ever.—
Christina Newland,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
-
With houses built mostly of dry masonry, stone, and timber, some families preferred to stay in the open to guard against shocks, rather than return home.—
Mohammad Yunus Yawar,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Chamarel, Mauritius Spilling across the volcanic hills of southwest Mauritius, Chamarel stuns with its terrain—Seven Coloured Earth ripples in bands of violet, ochre, and rust, shifting under the tropical sun like a living canvas.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
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The 75-inch Roku Pro Series is a massive 4K television that stuns with vibrant colors, hands-free voice control, and a $701 discount.—
Shubham Yewale,
PC Magazine,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
But for both actors, their horror movies are more about love than scares.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Slurp scares, and is scared, at the Haunted Hacienda in Pilgrim World.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The moped-like sound of the Shaheds whooshing above the rooftops still unsettles but no longer terrifies.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
18 May 2025
Verb
-
If that surprises you, don’t feel alarmed.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Possibly, a relative, neighbor or daily contact will do something that surprises you.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Startles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/startles. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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