Full definition of startling
Adjective
- Likely to startle; surprising; shocking.
- 2011, September 27, Alistair Magowan, Bayern Munich 2 - 0 Man City, That startling admission capped a miserable night for City as they arrived in Germany following an unbeaten start to the season.
Trivia
This is one of the longest English words that can have one letter taken away at a time and still be a common word, down to one letter: startling, starting or starling, staring, string, sting, sing, sin, in, and I. sparkling and splashing also bear this property.