startle
verb (used with object)
to disturb or agitate suddenly as by surprise or alarm.
are startling
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present progressiveof startle.present progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or state that is currently taking place in the immediate present.
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.
No one is in mourning for that, not even daughter Deborah Brashers, whose recollections about childhood with a criminal father are startling.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026
Some of the statistics around Mora are startling.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2025
Considering how carefully K-pop agencies safeguard their artists’ career trajectories and reputations, many of the most candid moments captured are startling in their rawness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2024
In the cities where Canada’s real estate mania has been the greatest, Mr. St-Arnaud’s findings are startling.
From New York Times ● Feb. 24, 2024
"These figures," remarks an observing friend of mine, "are startling!"
From Masterpieces of Negro Eloquence The Best Speeches Delivered by the Negro from the days of Slavery to the Present Time by Alice Moore Dunbar-Nelson
