startle
verb (used with object)
to disturb or agitate suddenly as by surprise or alarm.
startlement
-
a word derived from
startle.
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.
I expected a response of startlement or protest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
However, having worked past startlement, not to say consternation, most will acknowledge the peculiar aptness of Farrell’s approach.
From New York Times ● May 14, 2019
It only added to the startlement with which she returned his gaze in the unseen mirror.
From New York Times ● May 23, 2011
Winner of the World Cinema - Dramatic prize at this year's Sundance Film Festival, David Michôd's Animal Kingdom is a contemplative crime drama with a high startlement quotient.
From Time ● Aug. 14, 2010
I took a pleasure in Bono’s startlement, his wariness.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
