surprising

1 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 amazing, astonishing, astounding, blindsiding, dumbfounding (also dumfounding), eye-opening, flabbergasting, jarring, jaw-dropping, jolting, shocking, startling, stunning, stupefying Related Words unannounced, unanticipated, unexpected, unforeseen; awesome, awful, breathtaking, fabulous, heart-stopping, marvelous (or marvellous), miraculous, portentous, prodigious, staggering, stupendous, sublime, wonderful, wondrous; extraordinary, phenomenal, rare, sensational, spectacular; befuddling, bewildering, confounding, confusing, discomfiting, disconcerting, dismaying, flustering, muddling, nonplussing (also nonplusing), perplexing, upsetting; incomprehensible, inconceivable, incredible, unbelievable, unimaginable, unlikely, unthinkable; singular, uncommon, unique, unusual, unwonted; conspicuous, notable, noticeable, outstanding, remarkable; impressive, striking Near Antonyms common, customary, mundane, normal, ordinary, typical, unexceptional, unremarkable, usual Antonyms unsurprising

2 causing wonder or astonishment it's surprising how much knowledge of physics the architects of those immense medieval cathedrals must have had Synonyms amazing, astonishing, astounding, awesome, awful, eye-opening, fabulous, miraculous, portentous, prodigious, staggering, stunning, stupendous, sublime, marvelous, wonderful, wondrousRelated Words incomprehensible, inconceivable, incredible, unbelievable, unimaginable, unthinkable; extraordinary, phenomenal, rare, sensational, spectacular; singular, uncommon, unique, unusual, unwonted; conspicuous, notable, noticeable, outstanding, remarkable; impressive, smashing, striking; mind-bending, mind-blowing, mind-boggling; animating, energizing, enlightening, enlivening, exciting, galvanizing, invigorating, stimulating; alluring, attracting, attractive, beguiling, bewitching, captivating, charming, enchanting, entertaining, enthralling, fascinating, interestingNear Antonyms unimpressive, uninspiring, unremarkable; boring, dull, jading, monotonous, tedious, tiring, uninspired, uninteresting, wearisome, weary, wearying; common, customary, mundane, normal, ordinary, typical, unexceptional, usual; draining, enervating, exhausting, fatiguing, wearing; debilitating, enfeebling; demoralizing, discouraging, disheartening, dispiriting