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
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Recent Examples of surprising
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2025
This is surprising, given philosophy’s very nature.
—Shai Tubali, Big Think, 30 Sep. 2025
Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025
Detroit rapper Kash Doll pulled out all the stops for her boyfriend, NFL star Za’Darius Smith’s 33rd birthday, surprising him with a custom ride that has fans talking.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for surprising
Adjective
The result is an immersive, urgent, playful, and devastating film that, while experimenting with genre and time, finds surprising commonalities between Brazil 50 years ago and the world today.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2025
This is surprising, given philosophy’s very nature.
—Shai Tubali, Big Think, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
After tense standoffs with Mallory (Crystle Stewart) and Horace's ex-wife, Olivia (Debbi Morgan), Kimmie enters the meeting and promptly takes it over, surprising the family with her mind for numbers.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025
Detroit rapper Kash Doll pulled out all the stops for her boyfriend, NFL star Za’Darius Smith’s 33rd birthday, surprising him with a custom ride that has fans talking.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for surprising
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surprising
Adjective
-
The sequence of events is startling.—
David French,
Mercury News,
30 Sep. 2025
-
The startling rise comes as concerned residents are preparing to cast their ballots in the city’s upcoming mayoral race.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The astonishing diversity among plumeria seedlings coming from the same pod is attributable to the large number of chromosomes in each plumeria cell, which is 54.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
20 Sep. 2025
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MicroStrategy remains the leader among corporate crypto treasuries, holding over 638,000 bitcoins valued at an astonishing $71 billion.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The entertainment giant accused Sling TV’s parent of ambushing it with the offering, allegedly without consultation, to capitalize on the starts of the college football and NFL seasons.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Sep. 2025
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The president has constantly mocked Powell on social media, and accused him of mismanaging renovations of the Fed’s headquarters, even ambushing the Fed chief with a new cost estimate for a facility renovation in front of rolling television cameras.—
Tobias Burns,
The Hill,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
This has been my go-to spot for years, and the owners are amazing people.—
Carlos Rico,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Sep. 2025
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That stuff is so random, and there’s so many amazing bands that no one ever listens to.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Watching his wonderful kids, Amy, Jamie and Shauna, grow up and become deeply connected to the arts and making an impact in this world has been an immense privilege.—
Michelle Satter,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Accessible by car or Amtrak’s Northeast Regional line, which offers thrice-daily service, Culpeper is a wonderful destination for a leisurely and enriching getaway.—
Erin Gifford,
Southern Living,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Two months after catastrophic flooding killed 27 girls and counselors at Camp Mystic, the famed Texas camp plans to reopen – shocking some family members who still don’t know where their loved one is.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
24 Sep. 2025
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The Live With Kelly and Mark cohost made a joke on the matter Thursday morning, shocking husband Mark Consuelos after his wife read aloud a statistic about divorce rates plummeting in the United States.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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To experience everything that wintertime Zürich has to offer, book a room at La Réserve Eden au Lac Zürich, a five-star hotel with stunning Lake Zürich views and spaces designed by Philippe Starck.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
24 Sep. 2025
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The surrounding views of Verrado and the desert are genuinely stunning, especially at sunrise.—
Tiffany Acosta,
AZCentral.com,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Draped by defenders, the junior wideout corralled a miraculous catch in the red zone, then somehow slipped loose for a go-ahead 45-yard touchdown reception.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
-
Less than an hour after making his frantic and somewhat miraculous 59-yarder, Butker missed the 33-yard extra point wide right.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Surprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surprising. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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