How to Pronounce Startled

To pronounce "startled", say STARTL-ed — 2 syllables, IPA /ˈstɑːt.l̩d/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

startled

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

If an accent sounds the same, your device is missing that voice — it falls back to the closest one.

Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

Practice: Record & Compare

Record yourself saying startled, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.

2

Syllables

8

Letters

/ˈstɑːt.l̩d/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “startled”

"startled" has 2 syllables: startl-ed.

What does startled mean?

verb

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

    “a horse that startles easily”

  2. To excite by sudden alarm, surprise, or apprehension; to frighten suddenly and not seriously; to alarm; to surprise.

adjective

  1. Surprised and slightly frightened.
  2. Extremely shocked.

Synonyms

deteralarmfrightenscaresurprisestartstunned

Hear “startled” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Related words

surprisedshockedastonishedastoundedamazedstunnedspookedterrified

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "startled"?▾

"Startled" has 2 syllables: startl · ed.

What is the IPA transcription of "startled"?▾

The IPA transcription of "startled" is /ˈstɑːt.l̩d/.

What does "startled" mean?▾

Startled: To move suddenly, or be excited, on feeling alarm; to start.

Want the definition, translations into 8 languages, and read-aloud for full sentences?

Open “startled” in the full dictionary →