startling

1 of 2

adjective

star·​tling ˈstär-tᵊl-iŋ 

ˈstärt-liŋ

: causing fright, surprise, or astonishment

a startling discovery

startlingly adverb

startling

2 of 2

present participle of startle entry 1

Synonyms of startling

Adjective

• surprising
• amazing
• shocking
• stunning
• astonishing

Examples of startling in a Sentence

Adjective

Startling new evidence came to light during the trial.

He made a startling discovery.

It is a city of startling contrasts.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

This opens the story up to startling confessional interactions, remarkable archive footage and a high-stakes present day search. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026

And yet the actors have an almost startling lack of connection because every line they’re tasked with reading plays as if from a mouthpiece trying to force someone else’s words out, awkwardly and clunkily. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 7 Oct. 2026

No less startling, Netanyahu himself got clear warnings from both the United Arab Emirates and Egypt that a major operation was imminent. — David Remnick, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2026

Her startling novel guides us through the Stettheimer sisters’ fabulous world and the interior spaces of a troubled woman’s mind. — Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1609, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

startling

adjective

star·​tling

: causing a sudden fright, surprise, or astonishment

a startling discovery

startlingly

ˈstärt-liŋ-lē, 

-ᵊl-iŋ-

adverb