surprisingly

adverb

sur·​pris·​ing·​ly sər-ˈprī-ziŋ-lē How to pronounce surprisingly (audio)
sə-
1
: in a surprising manner : to a surprising degree
a surprisingly fast runner
2
: it is surprising that
surprisingly, voter turnout was high

Examples of surprisingly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web While their bite force is among the most powerful in the animal kingdom, the muscles that open their jaws are surprisingly weak. Craig Caudill, Field & Stream, 30 Nov. 2023 But the improvement wasn’t as large as the company expected, and combined with the low margins on the surprisingly popular deal, that presented a problem. Marley Jay, NBC News, 30 Nov. 2023 Season Three adapts Herron’s novel Real Tigers, where Jackson Lamb — the filthy, flatulent, surprisingly tenacious head of Slough House, played with a hilarious lack of vanity by Gary Oldman — and his team appear to be collateral damage from a dirty piece of old MI-5 business. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 29 Nov. 2023 Still, the actor insists his tastes are often surprisingly simple. Kerry McDermott, Vogue, 28 Nov. 2023 Each features stealth profiles, top speeds between 50 and 60 knots, and surprisingly lavish appointments. Kevin Koenig, Robb Report, 26 Nov. 2023 As far as logic is concerned, there is surprisingly little to complain about. Jennifer Ouellette and Sean M. Carroll, Ars Technica, 24 Nov. 2023 Entrepreneur Andrew Yang ran a surprisingly successful presidential campaign in 2020, captivating the internet with fresh ideas and a fun, geeky persona. Geek's Guide To The Galaxy, WIRED, 17 Nov. 2023 Plus, the bag is surprisingly spacious and ideal for carrying valuables. Samantha Booth, Rolling Stone, 16 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'surprisingly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of surprisingly was in 1661

Dictionary Entries Near surprisingly

Cite this Entry

“Surprisingly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surprisingly. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

surprisingly

adverb
sur·​pris·​ing·​ly -lē How to pronounce surprisingly (audio)
1
: in a surprising manner : to a surprising degree
a surprisingly fast runner
2
: it is surprising that
surprisingly, no one disagreed
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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