surprising

adjective

sur·​pris·​ing sər-ˈprī-ziŋ How to pronounce surprising (audio)
sə-
: 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.
South Carolina: The most surprising collection of players who could become the best in the country. Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 12 July 2025 Most stories have a surprising amount of drama before finding the right approach. Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025 The Ideapad 1i has a quirky loadout, with a stodgy Intel Celeron processor paired with a surprising 20GB of RAM. PC Magazine, 11 July 2025 The news was first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday afternoon and registered as somewhat surprising timing as the Bears prepare to report to training camp later this month. Sean Hammond, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Surprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surprising. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

surprising

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

More from Merriam-Webster on surprising

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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