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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of surprising
Eric Nehm, New York Times, 15 May 2026
The extraordinary dissonance between his films’ classically cartoonish aesthetic and their thematic bleakness makes Vázquez one of the most singular and consistently surprising animation auteurs working today.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 15 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
The group of players is not that surprising, considering the Bucks have the 10th pick in this year’s draft, and most of the names above are expected to get taken in the top 20.
—Eric Nehm, New York Times, 15 May 2026
The extraordinary dissonance between his films’ classically cartoonish aesthetic and their thematic bleakness makes Vázquez one of the most singular and consistently surprising animation auteurs working today.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 15 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
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Given that the first film showed a man alone in the world, news of family ties are startling.—
Vadim Rizov,
IndieWire,
16 May 2026
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What a contrast between the vibrancy of Aston Villa, who face Freiburg in Wednesday’s Europa League final with Champions League football already secured, and the startling levels of ineptitude that Liverpool have descended into.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Adjective
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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
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McConaughey had just been asked about the future of Hollywood, given the astonishing advances of AI.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
14 May 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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Israel’s offensive, which lasted just over a month, was largely seen as a success for Hezbollah, with the militant group holding off Israeli advances and ambushing troops in the south of the country.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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McGregor first fought at welterweight in 2016 in a shocking loss to Diaz, then defeated Diaz later that year, again in the 170-pound division.—
Mark Puleo,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
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But at the center of it all is Navarrette, whose fearless turn grounds the film’s shocking premise in something both heartbreaking and haunting.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
Drag is a wonderful and versatile art form that offers joy and freedom of expression.—
Rachel del Guidice,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
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It’s been really wonderful to have you on today.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Both sides accuse the other of intentionally attacking civilian targets.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
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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
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The Australians won their second straight SailGP event, although the Bermuda success was not quite as dominant as their stunning four-wins-in-a-day Sunday in Rio de Janeiro last month.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
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The property has a beautiful minimalist, modern design with pops of natural wood accents and stunning views of the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains.—
Kimberley Mok,
Travel + Leisure,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Surprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surprising. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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