startle
verb (used with object)
to disturb or agitate suddenly as by surprise or alarm.
has startled
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present perfectof startle (3rd person singular).present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the 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.
Unprecedented warming in the North Atlantic has startled some researchers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 14, 2023
A rising number of pediatric coronavirus cases and hospitalizations has startled health officials.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 28, 2021
The extent of the exposure has startled researchers.
From The Guardian ● Apr. 18, 2020
The effort has startled some public health veterans.
From Reuters ● May 30, 2019
The same enthusiasm surrounds the world of science with that creative imagination which has startled even men of science by its peculiar discoveries.
From Literary Character of Men of Genius Drawn from Their Own Feelings and Confessions by Isaac Disraeli
