startling

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Allen said it had been "really startling" when he and the team saw what the film would look like for the first time, adding the aesthetic took some getting used to.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

Polling data on how people around the world view America inevitably makes for dry reading, but still exposes startling differences between how Americans see themselves and external perceptions.

From Salon • May 31, 2026

So it was startling to read stuff like this:

From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026

It features a startling performance by Anthony Roth Costanzo that significantly elevates the American countertenor to the small ranks of one of the world’s most important singers.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

And last, and to Mrs. Richardson most startling of all: a paper cutout of a birdcage, shattered, as if something very powerful inside had burst free.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng