startle

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Few people who have been on the national stage this long retain an ability to startle.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 24, 2025

But when she sees another dog, everything changes: she snarls, barks loud enough to startle a city block, and lunges with so much force it takes all my strength to hold her back.

From Salon • Aug. 18, 2025

The next thing Ms Lees knew, the kangaroo had launched towards her car, which she had slowed to a crawl so as not to startle the animal, and started to attack it.

From BBC • May 23, 2025

At the same hearing, Talley revealed that Ferguson still had the chair with the bullet hole and kept it in his living room, a fact that seemed to startle the judge.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 22, 2025

Daw? he says, laughing loud enough to startle the few kids in the lunchroom who weren’t paying attention.

From "Booked" by Kwame Alexander