Startle vs. Surprise — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Startle and Surprise
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Compare with Definitions
Startle
To cause to make a quick involuntary movement or start.
Surprise
To cause to feel wonder, astonishment, or amazement, as at something unanticipated
Thinking I was at home, she was surprised to see me in the office. We were surprised that he could recover so quickly.
Startle
To alarm, frighten, or surprise suddenly.
Surprise
To encounter or discover suddenly or unexpectedly; take or catch unawares
She surprised him as he was reading her diary.
Startle
To become alarmed, frightened, or surprised.
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Surprise
To attack or capture suddenly and without warning
Surprised the sentries in a predawn raid, wounding several.
Startle
A sudden, brief episode of fear.
Surprise
To cause (someone) to do or say something unintended or to be in an unintended condition
"There passed a scene ... that surprised me into courage to come forward" (Fanny Burney).
Startle
A sudden, involuntary movement in response to something frightening or unexpected, such as a noise.
Surprise
To elicit or detect through surprise
"She occasionally surprised a look on Jemima's face" (Marcia Willett).
Startle
(intransitive) To move suddenly, or be excited, on feeling alarm; to start.
A horse that startles easily
Surprise
The act of surprising or the condition of being surprised
Imagine my surprise on seeing you here.
Startle
(transitive) To excite by sudden alarm, surprise, or apprehension; to frighten suddenly and not seriously; to alarm; to surprise.
Surprise
Something, such as an unexpected encounter, event, or gift, that surprises.
Startle
To deter; to cause to deviate.
Surprise
Something unexpected.
It was a surprise to find out I owed twice as much as I thought I did.
Startle
A sudden motion or shock caused by an unexpected alarm, surprise, or apprehension of danger.
Surprise
The feeling that something unexpected has happened.
Imagine my surprise on learning I owed twice as much as I thought I did.
Startle
To move suddenly, or be excited, on feeling alarm; to start.
Why shrinks the soulBack on herself, and startles at destruction?
Surprise
(transitive) To cause (someone) to feel unusually alarmed or delighted by something unexpected.
It surprises me that I owe twice as much as I thought I did.
Startle
To excite by sudden alarm, surprise, or apprehension; to frighten suddenly and not seriously; to alarm; to surprise.
The supposition, at least, that angels do sometimes assume bodies need not startle us.
Surprise
(transitive) To do something to (a person) that they are not expecting, as a surprise.
He doesn’t know that I’m in the country – I thought I’d turn up at his house and surprise him.
Startle
To deter; to cause to deviate.
Surprise
(intransitive) To undergo or witness something unexpected.
He doesn’t surprise easily.
Startle
A sudden motion or shock caused by an unexpected alarm, surprise, or apprehension of danger.
After having recovered from my first startle, I was very well pleased with the accident.
Surprise
(intransitive) To cause surprise.
Startle
A sudden involuntary movement;
He awoke with a start
Surprise
(transitive) To attack unexpectedly.
Startle
To stimulate to action ;
..startled him awake
Galvanized into action
Surprise
(transitive) To take unawares.
Startle
Move or jump suddenly, as if in surprise or alarm;
She startled when I walked into the room
Surprise
The act of coming upon, or taking, unawares; the act of seizing unexpectedly; surprisal; as, the fort was taken by surprise.
Surprise
The state of being surprised, or taken unawares, by some act or event which could not reasonably be foreseen; emotion excited by what is sudden and strange; a suddenly excited feeling of wonder or astonishment.
Pure surprise and fearMade me to quit the house.
Surprise
Anything that causes such a state or emotion.
Surprise
A dish covered with a crust of raised paste, but with no other contents.
Surprise
To come or fall suddenly and unexpectedly; to take unawares; to seize or capture by unexpected attack.
Fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites.
The castle of Macduff I will surprise.
Who can speakThe mingled passions that surprised his heart?
Surprise
To strike with wonder, astonishment, or confusion, by something sudden, unexpected, or remarkable; to confound; as, his conduct surprised me.
I am surprised with an uncouth fear.
Up he starts,Discovered and surprised.
Surprise
To lead (one) to do suddenly and without forethought; to bring (one) into some unexpected state; - with into; as, to be surprised into an indiscretion; to be surprised into generosity.
Surprise
To hold possession of; to hold.
Not with me,That in my hands surprise the sovereignity.
Surprise
The astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
Surprise
A sudden unexpected event
Surprise
The act of surprising someone
Surprise
Cause to be surprised;
The news really surprised me
Surprise
Come upon or take unawares;
She surprised the couple
He surprised an interesting scene
Surprise
Attack by storm; attack suddenly
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