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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

Presented in vividly shocking or sensational terms

Causing of amazement

Present participle for to cause to feel sudden fright or alarm

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

Present participle for to provoke or instigate someone into action

Present participle for to do something (to someone) unexpectedly

Present participle for to take advantage of someone's inattention

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

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

away with the fairies

not right in the head

sick in the head

stark staring mad

not the full shilling

have bats in the belfry

not quite right in the head

unsavoury^UK

unsavory^US

potentially dishonest

phony^US

phoney^UK

not in your right mind

labored^US

laboured^UK

a few cards shy of a full deck

deprived of one's wits

one card shy of a full deck

manic-depressive

over the edge

non compos

severely mentally ill

one sandwich short of a picnic

having kangaroos in the top paddock

flipped-out

as mad as a March hare

flipped out

crazy as a loon

a few sandwiches short of a picnic

potentially dangerous

marvellous^UK

marvelous^US

have kangaroos in the top paddock

mentally unbalanced

have a screw loose

more ❯

Adjective

▲

(colloquial) Causing or able to cause fright

terrorizing^US

terrorising^UK

sombre^UK

somber^US

gory

morose

sullen

more ❯

Adjective

▲

Abrupt or unexpected in nature

Adjective

Presented in vividly shocking or sensational terms

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

paralyzing^US

knocking over with feather

making someone scratch their head

throwing off balance

causing to be at a stand

putting one away

throwing for a loop

taking the wind out of your sails

overawing

dizzying

throwing into a tizzy

galvanizing^US

galvanising^UK

filling with amazement

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

sweeping someone off their feet

messing with one's head

getting to

bedeviling^US

bedevilling^UK

balking^US

baulking^UK

putting someone off their stroke

causing someone to lose their composure

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 ❯

“At times, he seems totally incapacitated by awkwardness, yet he can startle me with his confidence and intellect.”

Verb

▲

Present participle for to cause to feel sudden fright or alarm

terrorising^UK

terrorizing^US

scaring the bejesus out of

giving someone a fright

giving someone a jolt

making someone jump out of their skin

scaring the living daylights out of

scaring the pants off

throwing into a panic

vexing

flurrying

scaring someone out of their wits

discouraging

disheartening

making one's hair stand on end

distracting

putting the fear of God into

demoralizing^US

throwing into a blue funk

paralysing^UK

paralyzing^US

scaring witless

confounding

making one's blood run cold

giving someone goose pimples

frightening the living daylights out of

making one's flesh creep

giving one the creeps

weirding out

frightening the life out of

giving someone the heebie-jeebies

tormenting

putting off

making someone shake in their shoes

scaring the hell out of

making someone's hair stand on end

frightening someone out of their wits

sending into a cold sweat

scaring the life out of

throwing into a tizzy

throwing into a fright

throwing into a tizz

inspiring panic in

frightening out of your wits

making uneasy

scaring silly

scaring the pants off of

irking

flooring

freaking

becoming horror-stricken

becoming horror-struck

making someone jump out of his skin

chilling to the marrow

throwing into disarray

unquieting

causing someone to lose their composure

mortifying

scaring the daylights out of

scaring someone half to death

balking^US

baulking^UK

catching off balance

taking by surprise

stopping someone in their tracks

putting someone off their stroke

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

filling with consternation

tyrannizing^US

tyrannising^UK

riding roughshod over

using strong-arm tactics on

haunting

bludgeoning

overwhelming

bedevilling^UK

bedeviling^US

victimizing^US

victimising^UK

blinding someone with something

frightening off

taking your breath away

pulling the rug from under

pulling the rug out from under

holding a gun to one's head

putting through the wringer

tantalising^UK

tantalizing^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

brutalizing^US

playing the heavy with

hurting somebody's feelings

getting on your wick

nauseating

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

“The cat would startle, hump her back, and hiss like a smoldering coal struck by water.”

Verb

▲

Present participle for to provoke or instigate someone into action

Verb

▲

Present participle for to do something (to someone) unexpectedly

Verb

Present participle for to take advantage of someone's inattention

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

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