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
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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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of surprising
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 14 Nov. 2024
In one surprising case, the Google researchers were able to use the phone map to identify an equatorial anomaly over South Asia that went unnoticed by the few monitoring stations in the area.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 13 Nov. 2024
All the staples are there, too: bloody battles, surprising revelations and dormant powers within unlikely sources.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
Verdict: Bose Nails the Basics In classic Bose fashion, the SoundLink Home sounds excellent, offering surprising bass response for its size while still providing plenty of detail in the high end.
—PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for surprising 
Adjective
For three years, Netflix has gone without a Best Documentary Feature Oscar nomination for one its originals, a surprising dry spell for a streamer used to dominating the category.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 14 Nov. 2024
In one surprising case, the Google researchers were able to use the phone map to identify an equatorial anomaly over South Asia that went unnoticed by the few monitoring stations in the area.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 13 Nov. 2024
All the staples are there, too: bloody battles, surprising revelations and dormant powers within unlikely sources.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
Verdict: Bose Nails the Basics In classic Bose fashion, the SoundLink Home sounds excellent, offering surprising bass response for its size while still providing plenty of detail in the high end.
—PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for surprising
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surprising
Adjective
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Davies makes a point of talking about the light in his photographs, but what my colleagues and I find startling is the color palette: The buildings are pale buff and so is much of the landscape around them.Owen Davies, Curbed, 4 Nov. 2024
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The final graph shows the most startling comparison.Joel Shulman, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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When Salomon rebuilt the Stance 96 last year, the iconic French brand redirected its focus toward off-piste freeride terrain with astonishing success.Outside Editors, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024
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Economic concerns especially drove his astonishing inroads with young and minority voters.Larry Diamond, Foreign Affairs, 8 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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It’s got wonderful culture, interesting history, amazing attractions and businesses.Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press, 21 Nov. 2024
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The staff was so kind and welcoming, and the food was amazing.Spencer Whaley, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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In a testament to the power of libraries creating a sense of community through programs, a patron shared a wonderful anecdote recently with our youth services librarian, Melissa Burke.Barbara D. Hathaway, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
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It’s got wonderful culture, interesting history, amazing attractions and businesses.Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The news of John Amos‘ passing was announced earlier this week, shocking many many fans, colleagues, and even his own family members.Regina Cho, VIBE.com, 4 Oct. 2024
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But rather than play up the murders’ shocking gore or give momentum to Lois’ investigation, the first few episodes are content to linger in the investigator’s ennui.Alison Herman, Variety, 4 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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This serum is packed with vitamin C that’s extracted from green tangerines, working to give the skin a radiant glow that is refreshing and stunning.Hannah Rice, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2024
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As the current solar cycle inches toward its peak, space forecasters have projected that residents across the United States can expect an increase in stunning celestial displays through next summer.Brandi D. Addison, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Trump has touted tariffs as a miraculous cure to just about every domestic and international strain, from war to child care to high grocery prices.Sareen Habeshian, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024
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The miraculous orange was renamed the Washington navel orange.Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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The incredible detail of Anderson's stop-motion animation gets more astounding in every scene (The leaves!Gwen Ihnat, EW.com, 23 Nov. 2024
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From clothing and shoe sales that will spruce up everyone’s travel wardrobe to suitcases that make packing a cinch, read on for more incredible finds.Claire Brodsky, Travel + Leisure, 23 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near surprising
Cite this Entry
“Surprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surprising. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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