Standard Lemma guide

startling

adj · noun · verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /ˈstɑɹ.tl̩.ɪŋ/
  • General-American: /ˈstɑɹt.lɪŋ/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈstɑː.tl̩.ɪŋ/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈstɑːt.lɪŋ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S T AA1 R T L IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Likely to startle; surprising; shocking.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: alarming

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A startle; a sudden motion or shock.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

present participle and gerund of startle

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

so remarkably different or sudden as to cause momentary shock or alarm

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Sydney's startling new Opera House
  • startling news
  • startling earthquake shocks

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: плашещ (plašešt) — likely to startle
  • Bulgarian: обезпокоителен (obezpokoitelen) — likely to startle
  • Czech: překvapivý — likely to startle
  • Finnish: hätkähdyttävä — likely to startle
  • German: überraschend — likely to startle
  • German: alarmierend — likely to startle
  • German: erschreckend — likely to startle
  • German: erstaunlich — likely to startle
  • German: schockierend — likely to startle
  • German: bestürzend — likely to startle
  • Italian: sconvolgente — likely to startle
  • Italian: sorprendente — likely to startle
  • Macedonian: вчудовиду́вачки (včudovidúvački) — likely to startle
  • Macedonian: запрепасту́вачки (zaprepastúvački) — likely to startle
  • Macedonian: вџасу́вачки (vdžasúvački) — likely to startle
  • Norwegian: oppsiktsvekkende — likely to startle
  • Spanish: sorprendente — likely to startle
  • Spanish: alarmante — likely to startle