blindsiding 1 of 2

adjective

as in surprising
causing a strong emotional reaction because of unexpectedness the last-minute blindsiding allegations that almost derailed the candidate's campaign

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

blindsiding

2 of 2

verb

present participle of blindside
as in disconcerting

Related Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for blindsiding
  1. surprising
  2. disconcerting
  3. startling
  4. jarring
  5. shocking
  6. bewildering
  7. amazing
  8. befuddling
Adjective
  • Of course, 2025 didn’t have the all-encompassing men’s World Cup getting in the way, so a dip shouldn’t be surprising.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 5 Aug. 2026
  • It was not expected to field a presidential candidate and its distancing from the younger Bolsonaro has been surprising.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of surprising
Verb
  • One less gory but still disconcerting video shown in court was the bodycam footage from the night in February 2024 when members of the LA County Sheriff’s Department paid a visit to Burke’s Hollywood Hills home.
    — Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 22 July 2026
  • This imbalance is perhaps not expressly disconcerting much of the time.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
Definition of disconcerting
Adjective
  • On Our Radar -Forbes billionaire and U30 alum Palmer Luckey is reportedly seeking to raise a fresh round of funding for his defense startup Anduril, which could value the company at a startling $100 billion.
    — Zoya Hasan, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • That leaves a startling number of people outside the screening system.
    — Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 31 July 2026
Definition of startling
Verb
  • There’s patience and, for all its jarring disclosures, gentleness in the way this story unfolds that are rare to see these days, not just in teen TV, but in any twist-happy streaming drama.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The moment was so emotionally draining and jarring that coach Kevin Stefanski immediately called a halt to the day's practice.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of jarring
Adjective
  • Randy Orton made a shocking return to WWE SummerSlam 2026, hitting an RKO on Cody Rhodes before CM Punk was able to capitalize with a fifth GTS.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • This may have seemed shocking to those who associated alien life primarily with science fiction invasion scenarios like The War of the Worlds.
    — Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 30 July 2026
Definition of shocking
Verb
  • But these casting decisions are bewildering, to say the least, and will certainly cost the film ticket sales and potential revenue.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026
  • Similarly, the defensively bewildering 9-6 loss the Wild suffered to start Round 2 in Colorado set the tone for five games that would ultimately be their undoing.
    — Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 3 June 2026
Definition of bewildering
Adjective
  • The sense of antiquity is preserved (stone staircases worn smooth by the centuries, wooden shutters in the bedrooms), but there’s no shortage of modern amenities, from the amazing Duxiana beds to bathrooms with rain showers.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
  • But there’s so many amazing female filmmakers out there as well, who are making really cool films and doing amazing work.
    — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of amazing
Verb
  • The 1,000-person guest list was impressive, expansive and, occasionally, befuddling.
    — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • This description recalls what leadership expert Jason Wild previously told Fortune about how AI tools are probabilistic, befuddling managers everywhere.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2026
Definition of befuddling
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.

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blindsides
blindsiding
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Cite this Entry

“Blindsiding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blindsiding. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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