Jump
Jump verb - To move suddenly and sharply (as in surprise).
Usage example: the sudden appearance of a mouse scurrying across the floor made me jump
Startle is a synonym for jump in move topic. In some cases you can use "Startle" instead the word "Jump" as a verb or a noun, when it comes to topics like recoil. popular alternative
Startle
Startle verb - To move suddenly and sharply (as in surprise).
Usage example: the cat startled when the door slammed shut with a bang
Jump is a synonym for startle in move topic. You can use "Jump" instead the word "Startle" as a verb or a noun, if it concerns topics such as frighten. popular alternative
Common collocations
Both words in one sentence
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Jump Scare: Although not meant to be a horror game, and fairly tame scares at that, some moments can certainly startle you.
Source: Video Game / Badland -
Jump Scare: Parodied with Erick Rowan talking a long time to do his promos, with extremely long pauses, causing Martin to startle every time Erick finally moves on to the next line.
Source: Web Video / The Mark Remark -
The boss's cat startles the protagonists several times, but the audience always sees the cat long before they do... sitting extremely still waiting for the perfect moment to suddenly jump out and startle them, as if this trope is that cat's favorite thing in the world.
Source: Cat Scare
Cite this Source
Startle and Jump. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/jump/startle
Jump & Startle. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/jump/startle>.
Startle or Jump. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/jump/startle.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "jump" and "startle" have occurred on timeline