What does "startle" mean?
A sudden motion or shock caused by an unexpected alarm, surprise, or apprehension of danger.
Startle
/ˈstɑɹt(ə)l/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A sudden motion or shock caused by an unexpected alarm, surprise, or apprehension of danger.
- Grammar: startle is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: jump, activate, affright, alarm.
- Useful contrasts: habituated, calm, composure.
- Usage evidence: We don't want to startle anyone.
How to use "startle"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "startle" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "startle" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "startle" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "startle" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "startle" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "jump" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "startle", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A sudden motion or shock caused by an unexpected alarm, surprise, or apprehension of danger.
"The figure of a man heaving in sight amidst these wide solitudes, always causes a startle and thrill of expectation and doubt, similar to the feeling produced by the announcement of " a strange sail ahead" on shipboard, during a long voyage."
- 2 a sudden involuntary movement wordnet
Verb
- 1 To move suddenly, or be excited, on feeling alarm; to start. intransitive
"a horse that startles easily"
- 2 to stimulate to action wordnet
- 3 To excite by sudden alarm, surprise, or apprehension; to frighten suddenly and not seriously; to alarm; to surprise. transitive
"The supposition, at least, that angels do sometimes assume bodies need not startle us."
- 4 move or jump suddenly, as if in surprise or alarm wordnet
- 5 To deter; to cause to deviate. obsolete, transitive
"it would blast all their hopes, and startle all other princes from joining"
Antonyms
Example
"We don't want to startle anyone."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "startle"?
Common synonyms include: jump, activate, affright, alarm, alarm, alarm.
How do you use "startle" in a sentence?
We don't want to startle anyone.
How do you pronounce "startle"?
Pronounced /ˈstɑɹt(ə)l/.
Etymology
From Middle English startlen, stertlen, stertyllen (“to rush, stumble along”), from Old English steartlian (“to kick with the foot, struggle, stumble”), equivalent to start + -le. Cognate with Old Norse stirtla (“to hobble, stagger”), Icelandic stirtla (“to straighten up, erect”). Compare also Middle English stertil (“hasty”). More at start.