surprising 1 of 2

adjective

sər-ˈprī-ziŋ How to pronounce surprising (audio)
Definition of surprisingnext
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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

surprising

2 of 2

verb

variants also surprizing
present participle of surprise
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

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2
as in ambushing
to lie in wait for and attack by surprise FBI agents surprised the counterfeiters in their own base of operations

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of surprising
Adjective
Proving this conjecture would show that waves experiencing chaos move in ways that look surprising and random at small scales but are simple at the macroscopic level. — Shalma Wegsman, Quanta Magazine, 12 Aug. 2026 The frenzied media coverage isn’t surprising, given the shocking details of the case. — Ayana Lage, Vogue, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
Turns out, her body keeps surprising her. — Katie Campione, Deadline, 8 June 2026 The pair’s secret romance was already woven into Season 1, surprising those who’ve read the source material since Allie and Dean are the focus of the third book in the series. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 28 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for surprising
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surprising
  1. startling
  2. astonishing
  3. amazing
  4. ambushing
  5. shocking
  6. wonderful
  7. stunning
  8. attacking
Adjective
  • Residents of a Newark, New Jersey, apartment complex got a startling wakeup call Sunday morning when police in tactical gear, responding to reports of multiple people shot, stormed their building.
    — Andrew Ramos, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • In New York and elsewhere, socialists have also performed well, startling establishment figures who favor more traditional positions on capitalist economic policies, among other issues.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of startling
Adjective
  • However, due to headwinds, that was reduced to 74 minutes, which was and still continues to be an astonishing achievement.
    — Dhananjay Khadilkar, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026
  • It’s expected to perform an astonishing number of tasks simultaneously.
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of astonishing
Verb
  • In one camp Gao Sheng breaks a cultural norm by helping her father and uncles with a big project, amazing her relatives with her physical and mental strength.
    — Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 18 Jan. 2026
Definition of amazing
Verb
  • After ambushing Nobel hopeful Kersten onboard, Wohmann makes multiple attempts to interview him.
    — Alissa Simon, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Prosecutors, meanwhile, have alleged that Mangione meticulously planned the killing for months, documenting his thoughts in journals and traveling across the country before ambushing Thompson in New York City.
    — Stepheny Price , Michael Ruiz , Maria Paronich, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026
Definition of ambushing
Adjective
  • The shocking lack of answers does not appear to be for a lack of resources, rather it highlights perceived investigative missteps along the way.
    — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The shocking report was nevertheless cheered by investors, who took the weakness in the labor market as a sign that the Federal Reserve won’t hike rates in September.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of shocking
Adjective
  • Such a contrast to the wonderful Bootham Crescent, York’s home until 2020 and within stumbling distance of not only the famous Minster but all the city’s many other attractions.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Stepping into the shoes of Steve McQueen is no easy feat, but Brosnan does so with style as Thomas Crown, a billionaire art thief who falls for the insurance investigator chasing him, played by the wonderful Rene Russo.
    — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of wonderful
Verb
  • Margaret deploys this power to find Daniel and to free him from Noah and the WARDEX minions—essentially, by stunning them emotionally.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 16 June 2026
Definition of stunning
Verb
  • New arrival Maghnes Akliouche adds another attacking option this summer, while the signing of Lucas Digne from Villa gives this particular fixture an early subplot, with the full-back facing his old club straight out of the gate.
    — Dean Jones, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Three men are charged with attacking a CBS News Chicago crew near the Adler Planetarium at the end of June, before pointing a gun at people in the city's Brighton Park neighborhood before they were arrested.
    — CBS Chicago Team, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of attacking

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Cite this Entry

“Surprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surprising. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of surprising for Spanish Speakers

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