startled; startling
ˈstär-tᵊl-iŋ 
ˈstärt-liŋ
: to move or jump suddenly (as in surprise or alarm)
the baby startles easily
: to frighten or surprise suddenly and usually not seriously
: a sudden mild shock (as of surprise or alarm)
Examples of startle in a Sentence
Verb
I'm sorry that I startled you.
the lightning startled the children and sent them scurrying for cover
Recent Examples on the Web
Rachel Raposas, People.com, 11 Apr. 2025
Area residents might remember similar sights of helicopters in 2023, when the sounds of gunfire and explosions from military training startled some in the Kansas City metro.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2025
ArsTechnica, 31 Mar. 2025
Vasas and her colleagues also captured the brief startle display of a black swallowtail caterpillar and saw for the first time that its hornlike defense appendages are UV-reflective.
—Lauren Leffer, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for startle
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Verb
In a now-viral video from Stacy Goss, the family was startled by the sight of a huge bald eagle gawking at them, but more concerningly, at their dog Gnocchi.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 11 Apr. 2025
Area residents might remember similar sights of helicopters in 2023, when the sounds of gunfire and explosions from military training startled some in the Kansas City metro.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2025
Noun
Threaten the rubber hand by attempting to stab it with a dagger, for instance, and the participants exhibit an involuntary startle or fear response.
—ArsTechnica, 31 Mar. 2025
Vasas and her colleagues also captured the brief startle display of a black swallowtail caterpillar and saw for the first time that its hornlike defense appendages are UV-reflective.
—Lauren Leffer, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for startle
Cite this Entry
“Startle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/startle. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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