was startling
- past progressive of 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.
So it was startling to read stuff like this:
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026
His bizarre claim that the new broadcast would be “more transparent than Cronkite” was startling, but it became more revealing as the week wore on.
From Salon ● Jan. 10, 2026
One nearby resident, Mark Rogers, told the Los Angeles Times that the blast was startling for people nearby.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2025
The site of Noem in a baseball hat and ballistic vest was startling, and Medina said she began to record her with her phone.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2025
In the afternoon hush the volume of sound was startling.
From "1984" by George Orwell
