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
Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2026
Another is the surprising fact that no Florida law specifically prohibits public officials from misspending public funds on political advertising.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2026
Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025
The characters kept surprising me.
—Lindsay Lohan, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for surprising
Adjective
The result is music that shows a surprising amount of gumption, if not much else.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2026
Another is the surprising fact that no Florida law specifically prohibits public officials from misspending public funds on political advertising.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2026
Verb
Police are looking into how a man ended up inside the trunk of a driverless Waymo in the Westlake District, surprising a mom and daughter.
—Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025
The characters kept surprising me.
—Lindsay Lohan, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for surprising
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surprising
Adjective
-
That startling consistency, however, did not always translate to postseason success.—
SportsDay Staff,
Dallas Morning News,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Lee, working with a script by Alan Fox, spins out the multiple threads of action with startling swiftness and characteristically rapid-fire, confrontational dialogue.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Carnivorous plants blur the line between flora and predator by using physical design, chemical secretions and astonishing movements to capture their prey.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
-
As ever in Depardon’s oeuvre, what emerges is an astonishing group portrait of men and women on both sides of the law, and an elegant meditation on the very notions of guilt and innocence.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
20 Jan. 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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Among the Builsa people, songs are still sung about retreating from slave raiders into rocky and cavernous areas, and then ambushing them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Dec. 2025
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Over the past two months, JNIM has stepped up attacks on fuel supplies, ambushing tankers on the roads from Ivory Coast and Senegal.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Doncic had 33 points and 11 assists, and the Lakers erased a 15-point deficit in the final seven minutes of a 116-110 victory over the Mavericks on Saturday night in the star guard’s second visit to Dallas since his shocking trade to the Lakers almost a calendar year ago.—
Oc Register,
Oc Register,
25 Jan. 2026
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The relentless flow of appalling events eventually overloads the nervous system; the rising tide of brutality, which once seemed shocking, comes to seem unremarkable.—
David Brooks,
Mercury News,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Thank you all for a wonderful discussion.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The team Pep Guardiola built in the early 2010s, combining the wonderful passing of Xavi Hernandez and Andrés Iniesta with the twinkling magic of Lionel Messi, will forever be remembered.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Vardan Kostanyan, who owns Laundry King with his wife, said the suspect walked into their laundromat on Tuesday and demanded the keys to their safe before attacking his wife.—
Lauren Pozen,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
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He has also been accused of attacking authorities with explosives.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Costa Blanca is stunning from dry land, but exploring by water offers an opportunity to see the coastline from a new perspective.—
Liz Provencher,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Jan. 2026
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Read on for more on-sale Kate Spade purses worth checking out, including a chic suede laptop bag, a leather commuter tote, and a stunning blue oversized shoulder bag.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Surprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surprising. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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