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
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Recent Examples of surprising
Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 6 Feb. 2026
Dogg was perhaps the most surprising among all the torchbearers, who included personalities from different industries, backgrounds, cultures — and continents.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 6 Feb. 2026
Sean Gregory, Time, 8 Jan. 2026
Billy Joel kicked off the New Year by surprising a Florida crowd with his first live performance since receiving his brain disorder diagnosis in 2025.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for surprising
Adjective
There's a ton of surprising going on.
—Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 6 Feb. 2026
Dogg was perhaps the most surprising among all the torchbearers, who included personalities from different industries, backgrounds, cultures — and continents.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
That was my first time successfully surprising him.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 8 Jan. 2026
Billy Joel kicked off the New Year by surprising a Florida crowd with his first live performance since receiving his brain disorder diagnosis in 2025.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for surprising
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surprising
Adjective
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What’s even more startling is that one-fifth of all senior generals promoted by Xi have either been fired or accused of wrongdoing.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
7 Feb. 2026
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And the boys reported a startling discovery in the Texas ICE facility – a schoolmate had been detained without the school district’s knowledge.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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With the Games heading to France in 2030, there is work underway to include this astonishing sport into the schedule, but Billy says the speed skiing community is also content with its current position.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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To belittle the journalist asking about these claims in such sexist terms is astonishing.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
4 Feb. 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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The man accused of ambushing West Virginia National Guard members near the White House in November, killing one and severely wounding another, is set to be arraigned in court on Wednesday.—
Steve Beynon,
ABC News,
4 Feb. 2026
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The man accused of ambushing two West Virginia National Guard members in a shooting in the nation's capital, killing one and wounding another, has pleaded not guilty to nine charges.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nithya Raman entered the city’s crowded mayoral race on Saturday, marking a shocking and last-minute move to challenge longtime ally Mayor Karen Bass after previously endorsing the mayor.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Feb. 2026
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What began with the unconstitutional targeting of law firms, universities, and non-partisan civil servants has advanced to ICE’s shocking and deadly street-level assaults.—
Chris Mattei,
Hartford Courant,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Playing a thinly disguised version of himself, Reynolds is, as Schneeberger and Neibaur point out, funny, exasperating, and moving, and Rifkin’s impeccable tailoring of the role to fit his star gives Reynolds a wonderful summation with which to end his career.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
10 Feb. 2026
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Welcome to the wonderful world of better coffee.—
Noah Kaufman,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The strategy marks a shift toward attacking cartels’ financial systems as law enforcement pressure mounts on traditional drug routes.—
Alanna Durkin Richer,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
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Dan Ndoye is capable of playing in a central attacking role and Morgan Gibbs-White has looked handy playing in a more advanced role.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Hašek led the Czechs on a stunning run to a gold medal at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan.—
Jesse Granger,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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Save 47 percent on a stunning coffee table book that adds color and doubles as an instant conversation starter.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Surprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surprising. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
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