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
Marisa Lagos, NPR, 6 June 2026
More surprising than the shortcomings themselves is how rarely they are openly acknowledged or questioned by either patients or providers.
—Nisha Narayanan, STAT, 5 June 2026
Jasmine Viel, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for surprising
Adjective
Becerra, former Health and Human Services secretary under President Joe Biden, has staged one of the most surprising comebacks in recent state political history.
—Marisa Lagos, NPR, 6 June 2026
More surprising than the shortcomings themselves is how rarely they are openly acknowledged or questioned by either patients or providers.
—Nisha Narayanan, STAT, 5 June 2026
Verb
Zara has been surprising them from the very beginning.
—Jasmine Viel, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for surprising
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surprising
Adjective
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These sprinklers detect motion and will squirt bursts of water, startling squirrels and chasing them out of your garden.—
Molly Burford,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
-
One of the more startling nuggets the doc reveals concerns Paul Bateson, the former radiological technician convicted of Verrill’s murder.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
6 June 2026
Adjective
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Like many of the top execs at ESPN/ABC, Disney’s global ad sales president is a long-suffering Knicks fanatic, and her team’s astonishing comeback has placed them within arm’s reach of their first title in 53 years.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
11 June 2026
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Unfortunately and with frankly astonishing frequency, Mercedes chose poorly for this little sedan, over and over again.—
Adam Ismail,
The Drive,
11 June 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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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
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Where the movie’s true eccentricity comes in is in its combination of breezy comedy with shocking brutality and gore, perhaps most exemplified in an oddly casual moment in a morgue where Seagal and Wayans find a clue in the form of a serial number on a dead woman’s breast implant.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
5 June 2026
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Crayton said that the decision to allow Alabama to ignore the lower court’s ruling was shocking.—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
Adjective
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Cutting a ribbon, celebrating this wonderful binational relationship, and the wonderful Gordie Howe Bridge that is the new crossing linking Windsor and Detroit.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
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However, while this plant is wonderful for home gardens and dinner tables, not all plants will work well as its neighbor.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Just attacking everything with strikes.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
11 June 2026
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Police in the northwest Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights have released a sketch of a man accused of attacking and choking a woman this past weekend.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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The daring attack, a symbol of Ukraine's innovative drone efforts reminiscent of that stunning operation last year in which Ukraine hid drones in shipping trucks, releasing them deep in Russia and striking military airfields.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s stunning 2018 defeat of Representative Joe Crowley, a Queens party boss and member of the Democratic House leadership, catapulted her to international fame.—
Russell Berman,
The Atlantic,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Surprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surprising. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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