sobressalto

[sɔ.bɾe.saɫ.tu]

nounmasculinepl: sobressaltos

fright, sudden shock, start

1. A sudden feeling of alarm or fear; a startle or jolt

The loud noise gave me a terrible fright.

O barulho alto me deu um sobressalto terrível.

2. An unexpected or surprising event that causes alarm

The news came as a shock to everyone.

A notícia foi um sobressalto para todos.

3. A sudden movement or convulsion caused by fear or surprise

He woke with a start from his nightmare.

Ele acordou com um sobressalto do seu pesadelo.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Regional Variations

General Brazilian

sobressalto

Most common in formal and literary contexts; 'susto' is more colloquial

Portugal

sobressalto

Used in both formal and informal speech

Rio de Janeiro

susto

Colloquial preference over sobressalto

São Paulo

susto

Informal usage preferred in everyday speech

de sobressalto - suddenly, unexpectedly

com sobressalto - with alarm or fear

levar um sobressalto - to get a fright, to be startled

Look up more words on Fala2Me

The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more