startling
adjective
star·tling
ˈstär-tᵊl-iŋ 
ˈstärt-liŋ
: causing momentary fright, surprise, or astonishment
a startling discovery
startlingly
adverb
Examples of startling in a Sentence
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
Joel Embiid continues to be out, Paul George has been a startling disappointment, and a remarkable 17 different players have been in the starting lineup through 57 games.
—
David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
The startling manner of the White House announcement distracts from this long history.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2025
What was also startling in – over the weekend was firing all the advocate generals of the military.
—ABC News, 23 Feb. 2025
For Europe’s leading political parties, the speech was startling.
—Simon Shuster/berlin, TIME, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for startling
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David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
The startling manner of the White House announcement distracts from this long history.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2025
What was also startling in – over the weekend was firing all the advocate generals of the military.
—ABC News, 23 Feb. 2025
For Europe’s leading political parties, the speech was startling.
—Simon Shuster/berlin, TIME, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for startling
Cite this Entry
“Startling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/startling. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
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