Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Causing a sudden feeling of surprise, shock, or alarm: Describes something so remarkably different, sudden, or unexpected that it provokes a moment of intense reaction.

Usage

• The adjective "startling" is used to modify a noun, indicating that the noun possesses a quality that causes surprise or shock.
• It often describes facts, discoveries, appearances, sounds, or events.
• It is typically used in a neutral or factual context, though the thing being described is inherently surprising.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • The scientist made a startling discovery that changed our understanding of physics.
  • We received startling news about the sudden change in company leadership.
  • The startling brightness of the explosion lit up the night sky.
  • Her transformation was so complete it was startling.

Advanced Usage

• "to startling effect": used to achieve a result that causes surprise or shock.
  • The director used sudden silence to startling effect in the final scene.
• Comparative and Superlative Forms: "more startling", "most startling".
  • Of all the revelations, the third was the most startling.

Variants and Related Words

• Startle (verb): to cause a sudden feeling of surprise or alarm.
  • The loud noise startled the cat.
• Startled (adjective): describes the person or animal that has been surprised.
  • She had a startled look on her face.
• Startlingly (adverb): in a way that causes surprise or shock.
  • The results were startlingly clear.

Synonyms

• Astonishing: extremely surprising.
• Shocking: causing a sudden upsetting or surprising feeling.
• Stunning: so surprising it is hard to believe.
• Jarring: incongruous in a striking or shocking way.

Antonyms

• Expected: regarded as likely to happen.
• Ordinary: with no special or distinctive features; normal.
• Unsurprising: not causing surprise.

Idioms and Phrases

• A startling revelation: a fact that is made known, causing great surprise.
  • The biography contained several startling revelations about the author's early life.
• Nothing startling: used to indicate that something is ordinary or not surprising.
  • The report was competently written but contained nothing startling.

Adjective

1. so remarkably different or sudden as to cause momentary shock or alarm
   • Sydney's startling new Opera House
   • startling news
   • startling earthquake shocks