1
as in startling
causing a strong emotional reaction because of unexpectedness
the surprising news that they were going to have a baby had them rushing to buy nursery furniture
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in astonishing
causing wonder or astonishment
it's surprising how much knowledge of physics the architects of those immense medieval cathedrals must have had
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also surprizing
1
as in amazing
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected
I was very surprised when my parents offered to pay the down payment on our house
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in ambushing
to lie in wait for and attack by surprise
FBI agents surprised the counterfeiters in their own base of operations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of surprising
Moná Thomas, People.com, 23 May 2025
Reid plays the New Boy’s difference, almost beyond human, with surprising subtlety and restraint for such a raw performer (which is essential to capture that primal sense of survival at all costs).
—Ella Kemp, IndieWire, 23 May 2025
The decline in condo deals in South Florida also is rooted in spiraling costs, including insurance, monthly association dues and steep or surprising repair assessments.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 23 May 2025
Donald Trump is seeing a surprising uptick in support from Democratic voters, according to a new poll.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for surprising
Adjective
Immediately, many of us noticed the amount of juice that came from the pineapple, which was surprising when cutting into it.
—Moná Thomas, People.com, 23 May 2025
Reid plays the New Boy’s difference, almost beyond human, with surprising subtlety and restraint for such a raw performer (which is essential to capture that primal sense of survival at all costs).
—Ella Kemp, IndieWire, 23 May 2025
The decline in condo deals in South Florida also is rooted in spiraling costs, including insurance, monthly association dues and steep or surprising repair assessments.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 23 May 2025
Donald Trump is seeing a surprising uptick in support from Democratic voters, according to a new poll.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for surprising
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surprising
Adjective
-
Experts warned of startling low turnout in the lead-up to the historic election because of the mind-boggling array of unfamiliar choices and the novelty of voting for judges.—
MARÍA VERZA,
Arkansas Online,
3 June 2025
-
The sudden change was startling to those in the building and puzzling to those around the league.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
2 June 2025
Adjective
-
There isn’t a huge amount of that, but the fact that the robots are fighting at all is astonishing.—
John Koetsier,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
-
Regardless of his personal situation, what Enrique has done to this PSG side has been nothing short of astonishing.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
1 June 2025
Adjective
-
There’s still men — there’s Benson, who’s doing amazing.—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2025
-
Following the amazing Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake from the end of last year, the other two parts of the Erdrick Trilogy are being combined into one game.—
Ollie Barder,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
Adjective
-
Your wonderful dog may or may not hanker to break routine and go on holiday.—
John Oseid,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
-
My daughter came to live with us for nine wonderful years.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
27 May 2025
Verb
-
Jung-bae wound up in a room of three, with Player 001 and some rando — but Player 001 choked the stranger to death in time to reduce their head count, shocking Jung-bae more than a bit.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
26 Dec. 2024
-
Fox News Digital obtained shocking audio between Cyrus and his estranged wife where the country crooner is heard berating his Australian ex and using profane language.—
Ashley Hume,
Fox News,
26 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Immerse yourself in the outdoors in South America Known for its alpine mountains and sapphire-blue lakes, Chile’s lake district is also a destination filled with stunning natural beauty.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
30 May 2025
-
But the stunning decline in imports could mean retailers have less of an inventory buffer, leaving them less able to avoid paying future tariffs — and that could lead to price increases for US consumers.—
Vanessa Yurkevich,
CNN Money,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
There’s conflict in everything, in the clashing of worlds and the fight for a world that makes sense to believe in, yet miraculous poetry and optimism somehow, too.—
Ella Kemp,
IndieWire,
23 May 2025
-
Their survival, staff say, is nothing short of miraculous.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
These incredible snakes exemplify how relatively simple modifications can unlock entirely new modes of life and will continue to inspire biomimetic designs in engineering and robotics.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
-
Inter’s defensive unit has been incredible in the Champions League this season, conceding just one open-play goal in their opening 10 games.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Surprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surprising. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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