startled
Americanadjective
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disturbed or agitated suddenly, as by surprise or alarm.
Seeing startled herons and egrets flee at the sound of 35 teenagers was a highlight for kids who rarely see birds in their natural habitat.
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expressing such surprise or alarm.
A startled cry escaped my throat as I was roughly pulled to my feet by the bodyguard.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of startled
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.
She said some birds do not die instantly when shot and instead get startled in the dark and collide with things, but Pellen said that was "not true at all".
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration had been startled when Trudeau’s government discreetly asked British intelligence chiefs to start discussing how they might band together if the U.S. left Five Eyes, the U.S.-led intelligence-sharing alliance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
The initial announcement of SpaceX’s bond sale had startled some investors, some of whom sold their shares.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
Cenet said he was startled to see that "everyday life continued" on the ship after the captain's announcement.
From Barron's ● May 6, 2026
Anya put her hand on Ivan’s arm, and he startled away from her.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
