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v. Present participle of startle.

adj. Likely to startle; surprising; shocking.

That startles or that excites sudden surprise, apprehension, fear, or like emotion; that rouses or suddenly and forcibly attracts attention: as, startling news; a startling discovery.

Easily startled or alarmed; skittish; shying.

adj. so remarkably different or sudden as to cause momentary shock or alarm

"The statistics were published as a second charity voiced concern over what it called "startling variations" in diagnosis and treatment outcomes in ovarian cancer."

startled    startles    startling   

floor    ball over    blow out of the water    take aback    shock   

frighten   

startled    startling   

start    alarm    frighten    fright    shock    surprise    deter    rouse    electrify    jump   

extraordinary    astonish    unexpected    terrify    vivid    bizarre    ominous    definite