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

Derived Forms

• ˈstartlingly, adverb

Other Words From

• startling·ly adverb
• un·startling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of startling¹

startle + -ing ²

Example Sentences

"Nonetheless, this is a startling finding that suggests we need to be looking much more closely at whether pregnant individuals are getting the nutrients they need."

From Science Daily

That startling statistic - a year’s worth of rain had been dumped on some parts of Valencia in a matter of hours – became easy to believe as you took all this in.

From BBC

“It’s a scary time to be a trans person, and to hear so much really unfounded and startling rhetoric from that side, and to think that that may be pushed into actual legislation,” Poznanski said.

From Los Angeles Times

He played his boyhood rugby as a wing and still has a startling turn of pace.

From BBC

The poll of 808 likely voters also found that Harris has a startling lead among voters of 65, with 55% of respondents throwing in for the vice president to just 36% for Trump.

From Salon

Related Words

• alarming
• astonishing
• shocking
• surprising
• unexpected