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.
See Examples For:
They then measured how the mice responded using a modified auditory startle test.
From Science Daily ● May 15, 2026
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
If a pug snorts a funny backward snuffle, it might startle you enough to accidentally step in its poop.
From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein
![]()
More than 60 years on, the scene still startles.
From Salon ● Sep. 4, 2026
I am not sure what startles more—that the feat was achieved at all or that it was Mr. Koolhaas’s firm that pulled it off.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026
The pop of a champagne bottle in the kitchen quickly startles the crowd.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2024
When something startles the flightless birds, they can be seen sprinting around the edges of their enclosures, flailing their long necks around.
From Seattle Times ● May 5, 2022
A noise in the kitchen startles me from my reading and I check the clock.
From "A Step from Heaven" by An Na
![]()
Black said he was startled, although not totally surprised.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
"The two US deportees looked startled and kept asking which country is this and where it is," said a source.
From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026
Chalong then left the scene, and phoned a startled journalist he knew who was in the middle of a live broadcast on YouTube, to tell her what had happened.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
Likewise, viewers will not be startled when Marina eventually discovers painful secrets about her mom and dad that cause her to reconsider those phantom figures.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
Stanton, startled by her cry, and fearing that the president had died, rushed into the room and called out loudly, “Take that woman out and do not let her in again.”
From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson
![]()
That startling conversion is the subject of Dennis C. Rasmussen’s “Frederick Douglass’s American Founding,” an engaging, lucid intellectual history.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
But that is by design, said INRIA's Serena Ivaldi, as the robots "have to act in human environments" without startling the people they help.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
Airlink's flying feat divided opinion with some labelling the startling manoeuvre reckless, while others praised the precision and expertise on display.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
After Saturday’s loss in Detroit, it had been a startling nine games since Ohtani homered or collected an RBI.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
"Stop right there," called Nok, her voice startling her as it rang off the limestone.
From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat
![]()
Vocabulary lists containing startle
"All Summer in a Day" by Ray Bradbury
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Circuit
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet," Vocabulary from Act 5
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!