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What is another word for startling?

Need synonyms for startling? Here's a list of similar words from our thesaurus that you can use instead.

Contexts ▼

Adjective

Causing shock or amazement

Attracting attention or awe by reason of being unusual or extreme

Disturbing in nature, causing anxiety or concern

Having or producing a sudden sense of thrilling excitement

Not anticipated or predicted

Horrifying or disturbing in nature

Deviating from what is standard, normal, or expected

(colloquial) Causing or able to cause fright

Abrupt or unexpected in nature

Tending to sensationalize

Causing of amazement

Present participle for cause to feel sudden shock or alarm

Present participle for to move suddenly, or be excited, on feeling alarm

Present participle for to provoke or instigate someone into action

Catching on the hop

Catching unawares

Present participle for to move or appear suddenly

Present participle for to move or jump suddenly or rapidly upwards or forwards

… more ▼

Adjective

▲

Causing shock or amazement

more ❯

“The most startling story we heard was one who said a neighbor was in bed and a tree fell on their home and cut it in two.”

Adjective

▲

Attracting attention or awe by reason of being unusual or extreme

marvellous^UK

marvelous^US

like a dream come true

colourful^UK

colorful^US

right under your nose

never to be forgotten

something to write home about

more ❯

Adjective

▲

Disturbing in nature, causing anxiety or concern

agonizing^US

agonising^UK

sombre^UK

somber^US

humourless^UK

humorless^US

unfavorable^US

unsavory^US

unsavoury^UK

more ❯

Adjective

▲

Having or producing a sudden sense of thrilling excitement

galvanising^UK

galvanizing^US

energising^UK

energizing^US

mesmerizing^US

mesmerising^UK

marvelous^US

marvellous^UK

hypnotising^UK

hypnotizing^US

tantalising^UK

tantalizing^US

giving one food for thought

more ❯

Adjective

▲

Not anticipated or predicted

occurring by accident

happening unexpectedly

like a dream come true

beyond one's wildest dreams

at the mercy of events

more ❯

Adjective

▲

Horrifying or disturbing in nature

sombre^UK

somber^US

gray^US

grey^UK

terrorizing^US

terrorising^UK

humourless^UK

humorless^US

unfavorable^US

agonizing^US

unsavory^US

agonising^UK

unsavoury^UK

more ❯

Adjective

▲

Deviating from what is standard, normal, or expected

flakey^US

flaky^UK

specialized^US

off-colour^UK

specialised^UK

off-color^US

customized^US

customised^UK

like nothing on earth

never to be forgotten

beyond the bounds of possibility

untrammeled^US

beyond one's wildest dreams

beyond the realm of reason

unsavoury^UK

unsavory^US

potentially dishonest

phony^US

phoney^UK

labored^US

laboured^UK

potentially dangerous

marvellous^UK

marvelous^US

more ❯

Adjective

▲

(colloquial) Causing or able to cause fright

terrorizing^US

terrorising^UK

more ❯

Adjective

▲

Abrupt or unexpected in nature

Adjective

▲

Tending to sensationalize

more ❯

Verb

Causing of amazement

stopping someone in their tracks

knocking the stuffing out of

knocking out

knocking for a loop

blowing your mind

taking your breath away

setting someone back on their heels

springing on

knocking over

throwing a curve

hitting like a ton of bricks

paralysing^UK

knocking over with feather

making someone scratch their head

throwing off balance

causing to be at a stand

putting one away

paralyzing^US

throwing for a loop

petrifying

taking the wind out of your sails

throwing into a tizzy

galvanizing^US

galvanising^UK

filling with amazement

putting out of action

setting someone thinking

completely surprising

traumatising^UK

insulting

hitting like ton of bricks

grossing out

raising someone's eyebrows

shaking out of your complacency

hypnotizing^US

hypnotising^UK

mesmerizing^US

mesmerising^UK

making one's hair stand on end

messing with one's head

getting to

sweeping someone off their feet

bedeviling^US

bedevilling^UK

baulking^UK

raveling^US

balking^US

ravelling^UK

riveting the attention of

energizing^US

lighting a fire under

stirring up

firing with enthusiasm

pumping up

giving someone a charge

magnetising^UK

giving someone a kick

getting someone going

energising^UK

magnetizing^US

more ❯

Verb

▲

Present participle for cause to feel sudden shock or alarm

terrorising^UK

terrorizing^US

giving someone a fright

giving someone a jolt

scaring the bejesus out of

making someone jump out of their skin

scaring the living daylights out of

scaring the pants off

scaring someone out of their wits

throwing into a panic

distracting

putting the fear of God into

flurrying

disheartening

throwing into a blue funk

discouraging

demoralizing^US

perplexing

making one's hair stand on end

paralysing^UK

paralyzing^US

making one's blood run cold

giving someone goose pimples

getting to

curdling the blood

weirding out

making one's flesh creep

giving one the creeps

scaring off

frightening the living daylights out of

making teeth chatter

frightening the life out of

giving someone the heebie-jeebies

chilling to the bone

tormenting

scaring the hell out of

frightening someone out of their wits

scaring the life out of

putting off

making uneasy

making someone shake in their shoes

making someone's hair stand on end

sending into a cold sweat

throwing into a tizzy

throwing into a fright

throwing into a tizz

inspiring panic in

frightening out of your wits

scaring silly

scaring the pants off of

scaring the daylights out of

freezing

freaking

paralysing with fear

becoming horror-stricken

becoming horror-struck

making someone jump out of his skin

throwing into disarray

causing someone to lose their composure

unbalancing

hindering

disarranging

balking^US

baulking^UK

catching off balance

taking by surprise

stopping someone in their tracks

putting someone off their stroke

chilling to the marrow

making someone scratch their head

putting out of countenance

setting someone back on their heels

putting someone off their stride

causing to be at a stand

upsetting the applecart

scaring someone half to death

filling with consternation

tyrannizing^US

tyrannising^UK

riding roughshod over

using strong-arm tactics on

haunting

bludgeoning

overwhelming

bedevilling^UK

bedeviling^US

blinding someone with something

frightening off

taking your breath away

pulling the rug from under

pulling the rug out from under

tantalising^UK

tantalizing^US

dunning

grieving

lording it over

holding a gun to one's head

putting through the wringer

victimizing^US

putting the squeeze on

putting under an obligation

using pressure on

fast-talking

bringing pressure to bear on

prevailing on

acting on

putting the screws on

brutalising^UK

victimising^UK

brutalizing^US

playing the heavy with

hurting somebody's feelings

getting on your wick

giving someone the creeps

making your gorge rise

making someone want to throw up

making shudder

more ❯

“As always I approached silently, hoping to startle them with a sudden intrusion.”

Verb

▲

Present participle for to move suddenly, or be excited, on feeling alarm

Verb

▲

Present participle for to provoke or instigate someone into action

Verb

Catching on the hop

Verb

Catching unawares

Verb

Present participle for to move or appear suddenly

Verb

Present participle for to move or jump suddenly or rapidly upwards or forwards

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Related Words and Phrases

What is another word for startling?

Need synonyms for startling? Here's a list of similar words from our thesaurus that you can use instead.

Related Words and Phrases

See Also