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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of surprising
Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 23 May 2026
Perhaps not surprising since James guided Cleveland to its first NBA championship in franchise history nearly a decade ago.
—Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2026
Coastal Mississippi is constantly surprising us, but one of its most delightful surprises is the fact that some of its beaches have white sand that rivals even Florida’s top spots.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for surprising
Adjective
Sestito and his colleagues identified 20 metal-poor stars in surprising proximity to the disk using observations from the European Space Agency’s Gaia telescope.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 23 May 2026
Perhaps not surprising since James guided Cleveland to its first NBA championship in franchise history nearly a decade ago.
—Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
Verb
Since Vic and Christine didn’t get an international getaway, TurboTax is surprising them with a honeymoon (and handling their first joint tax return while they’re gone, of course).
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2026
Coastal Mississippi is constantly surprising us, but one of its most delightful surprises is the fact that some of its beaches have white sand that rivals even Florida’s top spots.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for surprising
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surprising
Adjective
-
The congressman returned home last Fourth of July to startling stories in Southern California as immigration patrols swept through communities and one constituent told him about starting to carry a passport as proof of the right to be in the country.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 May 2026
-
In the middle of Thursday’s numerous Giants developments, from concerning player injuries to a startling contract extension for underperforming GM Joe Schoen, the only thing that truly mattered was happening on the field.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
22 May 2026
Adjective
-
Depicting the Norman conquest of England 1100 years ago, the Bayeux tapestry is an astonishing 230 feet long and, according to the British Museum, features 58 scenes, each rendered in colored wool embroidery on flax.—
Anne Doran,
ARTnews.com,
14 May 2026
-
McConaughey had just been asked about the future of Hollywood, given the astonishing advances of AI.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
14 May 2026
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
Verb
-
Arizona’s offense set the tone for the night by absolutely ambushing Ray, needing just six pitches to plate four runs.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
19 May 2026
-
Atletico’s path to the semifinals has been taking first-leg leads — ambushing Tottenham at home then winning at Barcelona — before riding out severe pressure in the return game.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
As shocking as this slush fund is, it should best be understood as one more test for what the administration can get away with.—
The Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 May 2026
-
Slaten endured a shocking meltdown, allowing a pair of two-run home runs that put the Twins ahead in Boston’s eventual 8-6 loss.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
The aesthetic is going to go a lot of different places across Season 8, too, including two episodes in the round and the finale, which Badner wouldn’t dare spoil but is proud of the wonderful collaboration between the production design, camera, and lighting teams.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
19 May 2026
-
Shrubs, such as American filbert (Corylus americana), are a wonderful way to add interest to your landscape throughout multiple seasons.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Both sides accuse the other of intentionally attacking civilian targets.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
-
So when attacking midfielder Nick Moon carried the ball down the left wing in the eighth minute, AC Boise bodies began rushing into the box.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Present technologies offer stunning opportunities in this respect.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
That will cap a stunning reversal after the central bank maintained ultra-low rates—and even negative rates for several years—to fight deflation amid a stagnating economy.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Surprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surprising. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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