startling

[stahrt-ling, stahr-tl-ing]

adjective

1. creating sudden alarm, surprise, or wonder; astonishing.

startling

/ ˈstɑːtlɪŋ /

adjective

1. causing surprise or fear; striking; astonishing

Other Word Forms

• startlingly adverb
• unstartling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of startling¹

startle + -ing ²

Example Sentences

When the asteroid data is plotted on a graph of the rotation period versus diameter, something startling stands out - there's a gap, or dividing line that appears to split two distinct populations.

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One nearby resident, Mark Rogers, told the Los Angeles Times that the blast was startling for people nearby.

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The lawyers’ request for the $50,000 bond came in a Washington federal court filing, and it’s a startling example of “pay-to-play” justice.

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It's a startling admission - a year after winning a record six Brit Awards in a single night, Raye still worries about the precarious nature of success.

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And in Paul Thomas Anderson’s sprawling contemporary epic “One Battle After Another,” it’s startling just how comforting a cinematic hand on the shoulder can be.

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Related Words

• alarming 
• astonishing 
• shocking 
• surprising 
• unexpected