surprising

adjective

sur·​pris·​ing sər-ˈprī-ziŋ How to pronounce surprising (audio)
sə-
Synonyms of surprisingnext
: of a nature that excites surprise

Examples of surprising in a Sentence

It's not surprising that he doesn't want to go. The changes to the campus were surprising. He shows a surprising lack of concern for others. A surprising number of people were laid off at the factory.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Of course, that kind of simplicity often requires a surprising amount of intention—and legwork. Leonora Epstein, Architectural Digest, 27 Feb. 2026 The results weren’t particularly surprising. Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 27 Feb. 2026 Romance is also promising and surprising. Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 27 Feb. 2026 Library technicians peeled the reels apart and examined them frame by frame before making a surprising discovery. Eric Henderson, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for surprising

Word History

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of surprising was in 1614

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Cite this Entry

“Surprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surprising. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

surprising

adjective
sur·​pris·​ing
sə(r)-ˈprī-ziŋ
: causing surprise : amazing

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