startle
Americanverb (used with object)
-
startles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
startled,
past participle, past
-
startling
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
startles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
startled,
past participle, past
-
startling
present participle
noun
-
a sudden shock of surprise, alarm, or the like.
-
something that startles.
verb
Synonym Usage
See shock 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
startlesimple
-
startlessimple
-
have startledperfect
-
has startledperfect
-
am startlingprogressive
-
are startlingprogressive
-
is startlingprogressive
-
have been startlingperfect progressive
-
has been startlingperfect progressive
Past
-
startledsimple
-
had startledperfect
-
was startlingprogressive
-
were startlingprogressive
-
had been startlingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of startle
First recorded before 1100; Middle English stertlen “to rush, caper,” equivalent to stert(en) “to begin, start” ( see start + -(e)len -le, or continuing Old English steartlian “to kick, struggle”
Explanation
To startle is to jump, like when you're surprised. If you’re sneaking through a dark room and step on a sleeping dog’s tail — you might startle the dog. If she barks, that dog startles you right back! A startle is a quick, sharp movement, like a little jump that happens when you’re surprised or suddenly scared. If you sneak up on your mom and say "Boo!" you’ll startle her and she might jump up in her seat (before she yells at you to quit it). Alarm clocks and barking dogs often startle people. The original meaning of startle, around 1300, was "to run back and forth," from the Old English word styrtan, "to leap up."
Vocabulary lists containing startle
"All Summer in a Day" by Ray Bradbury
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Circuit
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet," Vocabulary from Act 5
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
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
For these L.A. gigs, she has the Breeders, the great veteran alt-rock band whose 1993 classic “Last Splash” can still startle you with its off-kilter intensity.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2024
“No, sir, Mr. Trask, Lisa’s used to cooking for nine starving children. Nothing can startle her.”
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
I am not sure what startles more—that the feat was achieved at all or that it was Mr. Koolhaas’s firm that pulled it off.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026
“They’re a bit of a nuisance, especially if one takes off from a bush next to people and startles them,” Knight said.
From Seattle Times ● May 3, 2024
Her very English outrage startles him from his role as an Israeli Defense Forces soldier “defending my people” and into that of a teenager defending himself against accusations of being from Manchester.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 4, 2023
Too many enjoy the heady rush of attention they get from doing or saying something that startles or provokes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2022
Dad clasps her arm in a movement so swift, it startles me.
From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day
"I was startled awake and immediately went to my child's room," he said.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
Less than 72 hours later, she startled fans by announcing plans to step away from the spotlight—and the “endless, ongoing public scrutiny” that accompanies it—after wrapping her current tour.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
Observers were startled that, given the risks, Ali Khamenei was present in the very centre of Tehran on February 28 rather than in hiding elsewhere in the vast country.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
The initial announcement of SpaceX’s bond sale had startled some investors, some of whom sold their shares.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
Still, Clare shrieked, startled by the spirit’s appearance.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
“I watched through all hours of the night and at one point screamed into my phone ‘YOU’VE GOT THIS, JACKIE!’ startling my entire family awake.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
His words were startling, to say the least, but Schwartz’s description of the president’s true personality was revelatory.
From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2026
The fall of Brendan Rodgers, and Dermot Desmond's startling evisceration of a celebrated manager, could only be rivalled if Celtic's major shareholder suddenly takes a flamethrower to his relationship with O'Neill.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
The bat fell onto a table at the Yellow Deli in Vista, startling patrons.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
“Are you the musical girl?” he asked, without any startling “Hey!” as he looked down at her very kindly.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
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.
