startling

[stahrt-ling, stahr-tl-ing]

adjective

1. creating sudden alarm, surprise, or wonder; astonishing.

startling

/ ˈstɑːtlɪŋ /

adjective

1. causing surprise or fear; striking; astonishing

Other Word Forms

• startlingly adverb
• unstartling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of startling¹

startle + -ing ²

Example Sentences

Technology was by itself producing startling images, from the assembly line to methods of warfare.

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The fights and chases are semi-effective, but there’s such a startling lack of cleverness that it’s as if the filmmakers took “Idiocracy” as a guide rather than a warning.

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But Hindemith’s “Sancta Susanna,” with its startling love affair between a nun and her maid servant, titillated German audiences at the start of the roaring twenties, and still can.

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However, he ended up startling Roz, who had been quietly approaching this whole time.

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Pollock has made a couple of startling cameos off the bench, scoring two tries against Wales in March and a game-breaking score against Australia.

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Related Words

• alarming 
• astonishing 
• shocking 
• surprising 
• unexpected