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adj

startling

STAH-tl-ihng
adj
1
Surprising enough to shock or alarm; unexpected and striking.
"The report contained some startling statistics about the city's crime rate."
"It was a startling discovery for the research team."

How to Use Startling

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSo surprising it catches you off guard.

Common pairings
startling discovery startling news startling similarity

Word Forms

more startling comparative, startlings plural, most startling superlative

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Fill the Gap

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The report contained some _____ statistics about the city's crime rate.

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial