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Startled vs Puzzled - What's the difference?

startled | puzzled |

As adjectives the difference between startled and puzzled

is that startled is frightened while puzzled is confused or perplexed.

As verbs the difference between startled and puzzled

is that startled is (startle) while puzzled is (puzzle).

startled

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Frightened.
  • Extremely shocked.

    • Verb

    (head)
  • (startle)

    • puzzled

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Confused or perplexed.
  • * 1848 , , Vanity Fair , Bradbury and Sons, 11:
    • (...) when the day of the departure came, between her two customs of laughing and crying, Miss Sedley was greatly puzzled how to act.
  • * 1920 , (Herman Cyril McNeile), Bulldog Drummond Chapter 1
    • Once or twice he scratched his head, and stared out of the window with a puzzled frown. And each time, after a brief survey of the other side of Half Moon Street, he turned back again to the breakfast table with a grin.

    Derived terms

    * puzzledly * puzzledness

    Verb

    (head)
  • (puzzle)