startled

American  

[stahr-tld] / ˈstɑr tld /

adjective

1. 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.

2. expressing such surprise or alarm.

   A startled cry escaped my throat as I was roughly pulled to my feet by the bodyguard.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of startle.

Other Word Forms

• unstartled adjective

Etymology

Origin of startled

startle ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

You are startled, later, to see the film footage of the tower itself, in its fiery death throes, as it plunged into the cathedral below.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Jonah—what are you doing?” she said, startled.

From Literature

Speaking on the red carpet at the London premiere, he looked a bit startled and paused for a period, before answering: "Yes. Yes."

From BBC

You’d assume from the pose that she’s sleeping, except her eyes are wide open, and in this frightened or startled expression.

From Los Angeles Times

I’m startled by her question and even more startled by her nonchalant attitude.

From Literature

Related Words

• scared
• shocked
• spooked
• stunned
• surprised