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.
It triggers an automatic "startle response" to any loud noise.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
His lyrics also startle the way poems do.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 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
In the documentary, we see Lopez share Affleck’s love letters with her musicians to inspire them — something that seemed to startle him.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 21, 2024
“Only move toward us quietly, so you don’t startle it.”
From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins
Vocabulary lists containing startle
"All Summer in a Day" by Ray Bradbury
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The Circuit
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"The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet," Vocabulary from Act 5
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