startled
Americanadjective
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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.
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expressing such surprise or alarm.
A startled cry escaped my throat as I was roughly pulled to my feet by the bodyguard.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of startled
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.
He gleefully brought the startled players together with the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, an uptown salsa and jazz band, for concerts at Lincoln Center and Washington Heights.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
Cenet said he was startled to see that "everyday life continued" on the ship after the captain's announcement.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
I was surprised to see “Lorne” touch on both of these factors, and even more startled to find myself respecting Michaels’ reluctance to apologize for any of his decisions.
From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026
Koch described being so conditioned by weightlessness that back on Earth she had dropped a shirt expecting it to float - and was startled when it fell.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
Torak glanced from the startled cub to the whistle.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
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.
