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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of startles
James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026 The project, which Steinberger has rebranded multiple times—evolving from Clawdbot to Moltbot and finally to OpenClaw—largely owing to politics—has expanded at a pace that startles even seasoned AI experts. —Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026 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 That aural reminder punctuates my days now, and frequently startles me. —Rob Mank, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Apr. 2025
Verb
If hypotheticals about what could have been are a good dream for New York Knicks fans, then Mikal Bridges is the alarm clock that startles them awake. —James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026 The project, which Steinberger has rebranded multiple times—evolving from Clawdbot to Moltbot and finally to OpenClaw—largely owing to politics—has expanded at a pace that startles even seasoned AI experts. —Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026 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 That aural reminder punctuates my days now, and frequently startles me. —Rob Mank, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for startles
Verb
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The second thing that strikes me more and actually amazes me is the fact that this is a story, a trope, that is repeated in most of the presentation of Agnes Pockels.— Mariel Carr, Scientific American, 20 Mar. 2026
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Eva’s romance with her husband, Franklin Plaskett, delights and amazes her.— Adelle Waldman, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The final moments of the finale jumps eight years.— Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
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His 605-pound squat also jumps off the page.— Jeff Sentell, AJC.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The piercing sunlight frightens her.— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
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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
Noun
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During the great financial crisis—when shocks hit our economy, unemployment spiked, our economic system faced collapse, and America’s standing in the world was scrutinized—our central bank played an indispensable role.— Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
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These jets can help scientists better understand how black holes help shape galaxies and other cosmic structures through large-scale shocks and turbulence.— Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Frankie Grande stuns in a velvet and diamond-studded emsemble for the premiere of Broadway's Titanique on April 12.— Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
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Trump's attack stuns the world.— Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Amid the positives, what scares you the most right now about the industry?— David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026
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That distinction, between desensitization and normalization, is crucial to how Goldhaber and Mazzei approach scares in the digital age.— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This surprises many people, especially since the rules for the front seat are so strict and apply to everyone, regardless of age.— Ethan Stone, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2026
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The first is that Agnes is in love with him, which surprises him despite the numerous occasions he’s gone out of his way to attract her attention.— Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Frankly, the thought of being beaten by the subscribers terrifies me.— Oliver Kay, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
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Aubry Bracco is the kind of player who terrifies a certain (male) demographic of Survivor alumni.— Joe Reid, Vulture, 25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Startles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/startles. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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