startle

About 0.78 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. verb To move suddenly, or be excited, on feeling alarm; to start.

   a horse that startles easily

2. verb To excite by sudden alarm, surprise, or apprehension; to frighten suddenly and not seriously; to alarm; to surprise.
3. verb To deter; to cause to deviate.
4. noun A sudden motion or shock caused by an unexpected alarm, surprise, or apprehension of danger.

Similar words

jump start galvanize shock frighten fear terrify scare amaze afraid

Often followed by

the response you and him us her reflex me them

Word family

startled startlement startlements startles startling