startled
[ stahr-tld ]
/ ˈstɑr tld /
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adjective
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.
expressing such surprise or alarm: A startled cry escaped my throat as I was roughly pulled to my feet by the bodyguard.
verb
the simple past tense and past participle of startle.
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OTHER WORDS FROM startled
un·star·tled, adjectiveWords nearby startled
starting rate, starting stalls, start in on, startle, startle colour, startled, startling, start off, start on, start out, start over
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023