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
The most surprising thing, however, was how well VistaVision served the performances. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 12 Oct. 2026 DuVernay builds the film’s narrative using a wide and often surprising range of interview subjects. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
What went down Dickens shared a video of himself surprising the Nature Gurlz, a beloved group of women who meet up weekday mornings to bask in the great outdoors. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 20 Aug. 2026 All that hard work turned into front-row seats, with Blanca surprising her daughter with help from a local boutique. — Lesley Marin, CBS News, 19 Aug. 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
  • Bragg poeticized his regionally predictable subjects with startling particularity.
    — Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2026
  • This opens the story up to startling confessional interactions, remarkable archive footage and a high-stakes present day search.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of startling
Adjective
  • Winston had thrown passes into pockets of space the size of a cupped hand, and launched sudden and astonishing deep spirals far down the field.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2026
  • But what’s truly astonishing is the sheer scope of the effort involved in the gargantuan stop-motion production that involved some 200 practical puppets and 130 practical sets to bring the elaborate story to life.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 11 Oct. 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
  • Videos from that day showed militants gunning down fleeing revelers, shooting the wounded at point-blank range and ambushing those seeking refuge in bomb shelters.
    — Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Hansen, who left NBC in 2013 but remains a leader in the pervert-ambushing space, has spoken about having considered a sting operation against Jeffrey Epstein in 2015.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of ambushing
Adjective
  • Her inciting incident is eventually bookended in equally shocking fashion.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Continue reading … -- POLITICS LIFE OR DEATH — Conservative group unveils campaign in key state to expose ‘shocking’ Dem platform.
    — , FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of shocking
Adjective
  • The pom-pom sandals at Givenchy were wonderful, fun, unexpected and exactly what fashion lovers are looking for from a spring runway show.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Expect to see rare bottles pulled from the shelves and all manner of weird and wonderful concoctions offered up from the menu and from their encyclopedic knowledge of drinks.
    — Condé Nast, cntraveler.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of wonderful
Verb
  • Footage of the fight shared online showed Williams punching Colón in the back of the head in the seventh round, apparently stunning him.
    — Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • 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
  • Selma Blair was arrested Sunday after allegedly attacking crew members on board a Delta flight into New York City.
    — Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Arriving crews reported heavy fire on the third floor and began interior operations, attacking the fire with multiple handlines, Hopkins said.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 12 Oct. 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 Oct. 2026.

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