startled

American  

[stahr-tld] / ˈstɑr tld /

adjective

1. disturbed or agitated suddenly, as by surprise or alarm.

   Seeing startled herons and egrets flee at the sound of 35 teenagers was a highlight for kids who rarely see birds in their natural habitat.

2. expressing such surprise or alarm.

   A startled cry escaped my throat as I was roughly pulled to my feet by the bodyguard.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of startle.

Other Word Forms

• unstartled adjective

Etymology

Origin of startled

startle ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

"The fracture caused a very loud snapping noise that actually startled me. I thought at first the machine had broken, but soon realized that the noise came from the stretching fluid."

From Science Daily

She jumps back, startled yet again, when I practically pounce on her.

From Literature

He described one instance when he was startled by the scorer walking with his group and his vision suddenly went blurry.

From The Wall Street Journal

As Alpha waits for the results of blood tests, she is startled by the sudden appearance of a gaunt, jittery stranger in their apartment.

From Los Angeles Times

He startled Beijing by taking Tsai’s congratulatory call on his election, making him the first U.S. president-elect to speak directly to a Taiwanese leader since 1979, when Washington severed formal diplomatic ties with the island.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• scared
• shocked
• spooked
• stunned
• surprised