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
-
Eva’s romance with her husband, Franklin Plaskett, delights and amazes her.—
Adelle Waldman,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
-
What amazes me is how good human beings can be in a crisis.—
Rachel Handler,
Vulture,
21 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Becoming a master of quadruple jumps that no one else can land, rising with all the ease of a young Michael Jordan—before landing on a pair of butcher knives, on ice.—
Stephanie Bai,
The Atlantic,
8 Feb. 2026
-
No other men’s skater attempted three quadruple jumps Sunday.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Like the 1987 Kurt Vonnegut novel from which the restaurant took its name, Bluebeard encourages guests to drop their guard, surround themselves with other people and try something that frightens them a little.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Her hysteria frightens me and demands to be taken care of.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
That said, the government has a decades-old playbook on how to get workers through economic shocks.—
Josh Tyrangiel,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
-
That is, a country’s economy was much more likely to be impacted by shocks to nearby countries than by shocks in faraway countries.—
Josh Ederington,
Fortune,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Executive producer and star of the film, Danielle Brooks, stuns with her performance as a mother trying to juggle it all and offers an honest portrayal of what happens when extenuating circumstances prevent closeness and warmth within a household.—
Dominique Fluker,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
When Nora starts to leave the room, Cantrell scares her, showing that Nora had the cream all over her face.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
3 Feb. 2026
-
The only person on this earth who scares me is God.—
Colin Millar,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Then John surprises her by showing up at the Calvin Klein showroom for a new suit.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Further insight into what surprises the new season may bring, can be found below in the character descriptions for the new recurring cast.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
What terrifies Iran’s theocrats the most, the fear that eclipses all their fears, is the ability of the people at large to clearly see the essential realities of the present regime.—
Azadeh Moaveni,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
-
And this absolutely terrifies me.—
Inga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Startles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/startles. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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