1
as in to amaze
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 to frighten
to strike with fear
loud noises always startle her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in shock
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of startle
Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 15 Dec. 2024
The audience, so disarmed by the performance and startled by its finale, was said to be easy to snatch.
—Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Dec. 2024
Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 16 Feb. 2023
Henning and Muche let out a startle, however, when a beaver struck the bottom of their canoe.
—Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 2 Oct. 2022
See all Example Sentences for startle 
Verb
The warning prompted a flood of social media posts from residents startled awake by emergency alerts.
—Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 15 Dec. 2024
The audience, so disarmed by the performance and startled by its finale, was said to be easy to snatch.
—Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Dec. 2024
Noun
An exaggerated startle response and hypervigilance.
—Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 16 Feb. 2023
Henning and Muche let out a startle, however, when a beaver struck the bottom of their canoe.
—Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 2 Oct. 2022
See all Example Sentences for startle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for startle
Verb
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Costco continues to amaze both with price and with entertainment and all my Costco’s are a blast to shop at.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
23 Jan. 2025
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Instead, the boy was creating short films using action figures, adding voice-over narration, and displaying a level of creativity that amazed his mother.—
J.M. Banks,
Kansas City Star,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
After a period in a refugee camp, with Israeli soldiers deeming land deeds invalid, the narrative jumps to 1978, to a territory populated by Palestinians crammed in modest quarters, without citrus trees and with regular curfews.—
Tomris Laffly,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2025
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Boy restrained, secluded dozens of times On an August afternoon, in the backyard outside his house in Emmett, 9-year-old Cash jumped up and down on the trampoline with his brother.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
26 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Stepping out from a white van, the Israeli civilian looked gaunt and frightened.—
Mick Krever,
CNN,
30 Jan. 2025
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Julie Contreras, who is a pastor and part of United Giving Hope, a longtime immigration rights advocacy organization, said her time in church Sunday was spent comforting parishioners who were frightened by the ICE activity.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The terms of the contract came as a shock to many of the property owners the Herald spoke with who had been targeted in these suits.—
Ben Wieder,
Miami Herald,
26 Jan. 2025
-
After kicking her feet in a circle to try to get the remains to move, the woman gasps and raises her hand to her mouth in shock.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
26 Jan. 2025
Verb
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In a rare appearance, The Weeknd performed with Playboi Carti, leaving fans in awe, while Bruno Mars surprised the audience during the Los Angeles tribute segment.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
3 Feb. 2025
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Skip out of work early, surprise your sweetheart with a gift or plan more time for date nights.—
Kyle Thomas,
People.com,
2 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Mindful of the land mines around establishing novel hunting seasons, and wincing over rejection of crane hunting on at least two previous occasions, promoters of the sandhill hunt were intentional about building stakeholder support for a season.—
Andrew McKean,
Outdoor Life,
17 Jan. 2025
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Towns, a righty, winced and grabbed his shooting hand but remained in the game.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
14 Jan. 2025
Verb
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When the fast food restaurant by a high school was raided, kids remained in the building, scared to pass the site and risk detainment or worse.—
Anders Fogh Rasmussen,
Newsweek,
4 Feb. 2025
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Ukraine congratulates Trump — but a Republican win will scare Kyiv If Trump pulls U.S. funding for Ukraine, Europe will have to confront a decision whether to shoulder the financial burden of Ukraine alone.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
3 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Legal Challenges Image Legal scholars and immigration advocates said on Tuesday that they were stunned by the breadth of the order.—
Michael D. Shear,
New York Times,
22 Jan. 2025
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Director Mohammad Rasoulof tracks social and moral collapse with the kind of unnerving calm and visual precision that made the Iranian New Wave so striking when Abbas Kiarostami’s Through the Olive Trees and Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s A Moment of Innocence first stunned the film world in the 1990s.—
Armond White,
National Review,
22 Jan. 2025
Articles Related to startle
Thesaurus Entries Near startle
Cite this Entry
“Startle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/startle. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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