startling
adjective
star·tling
ˈstärt-liŋ 
ˈstär-tᵊl-iŋ
: causing momentary fright, surprise, or astonishment
a startling discovery
startlingly
adverb
Synonyms
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
That startling tidbit comes from this story by my L.A. Times colleague Noah Bierman, which explores why young voters don’t give President Biden more credit for signing the most significant climate bill in U.S. history.
—
Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2024
For some startling numbers that show just how broken parts of the child care system are, check out a link in today's show notes.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 13 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for startling 
Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2024
For some startling numbers that show just how broken parts of the child care system are, check out a link in today's show notes.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 13 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for startling
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'startling.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near startling
Cite this Entry
“Startling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/startling. Accessed 18 May. 2024.
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