From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishstartlingstart‧ling /ˈstɑːtlɪŋ $ ˈstɑːrt-/ adjectiveSURPRISEDvery unusual or surprising
Paddy’s words had a startling effect on the children.
a startling discoveryit is startling to do something
It is startling to read that his father never visited him in hospital. —startlingly adverbExamples from the Corpusstartling• The conclusion which is reached is quite startling.• DuPont's 1988 survey showed a startling change in the attitude of maleemployees.• And the consequences could be even more startling, for better or for worse.• Perhaps even more startling, given the recentrepressiveclimate, Zverev himself could also be seen working intuitively in public.• There has been a startling increase in the numbers of homeless people.• The programmedocumentsstartling new theories about the way the universe began.• The sound of clothes tumbling on to the floor was a startlingphenomenon, difficult to interpret.• The one exception was her glasses, whose frames were a startlingpink - perhaps an attempt to liven up her image?
