as in commonplace
not causing surprise because you expected it
His anger over the mix-up is unsurprising. an unsurprising fact
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Recent Examples of unsurprising
This middle weekend of the Games is a nice time to take stock of the events at Milan Cortina, which have ranged from the shocking to the unsurprising to the scandalous.
—
Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Iranian and Venezuelan émigrés might broadly oppose their current governments — having left them, this is unsurprising.
—Michael Paarlberg, The Conversation, 12 Feb. 2026
Perhaps that’s unsurprising, given that over 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents.
—Claire Rafford, IndyStar, 9 Feb. 2026
The majority of those murdered are thought to be younger than 30, a horrifying but perhaps unsurprising statistic in a country whose population skews young due to the baby boom that followed the 1979 revolution.
—Ellie Austin, Fortune, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsurprising
Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Iranian and Venezuelan émigrés might broadly oppose their current governments — having left them, this is unsurprising.
—Michael Paarlberg, The Conversation, 12 Feb. 2026
Perhaps that’s unsurprising, given that over 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents.
—Claire Rafford, IndyStar, 9 Feb. 2026
The majority of those murdered are thought to be younger than 30, a horrifying but perhaps unsurprising statistic in a country whose population skews young due to the baby boom that followed the 1979 revolution.
—Ellie Austin, Fortune, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsurprising
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsurprising
Adjective
-
Winning another San Diego Section wrestling title, both boys and girls, has become commonplace for Poway coach John Meyers.—
Steve Brand,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Those 6% interest rates are long gone, and interest rate reductions have become commonplace.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
This outfit, one of Bessette-Kennedy’s most famous, manages to turn what could feel boring—a plain khaki midiskirt—into a genuine statement.—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Children, that great adventure, boring?—
Daniel Smith,
The Atlantic,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The sheriff’s department specifically requested footage that includes cars, traffic, people or pedestrians, or anything that feels out of the ordinary or important.—
Randi Kaye,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Slater’s former top deputy, who also left the Justice Department, publicly warned that antitrust decisions are being influenced by corporate lobbyists — not in the interest of ordinary Americans.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
And to be perfectly fair, nervous gratuitous laughter at stupid jokes is not unknown among anyone, including the press corps.—
John Shipley,
Twin Cities,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Above all else, avoid the stupid mistakes that lead to injury, illness, and evacuation from the game.—
Kristen Geil,
Outside,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
What does the phrase squeaky bum time, the racehorse Devon Loch, and the Portuguese proverb ‘morrer na prais’ all have in common?—
Ian Irving,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Living spaces From the ceilings to the floors, there are ample spaces for dirt to hide in common living spaces.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Hegseth’s harsh punishment is the culmination of a long, slow slide that began with a political disagreement.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
28 Feb. 2026
-
The company didn’t break out Marni revenues, but Marni’s growth has been slower than that of other OTB labels, Diesel and Margiela, in recent years.—
Lucy Maguire,
Vogue,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Flying can be tiring, but apparently not as tiring as seeing passengers in pajamas – at least according to one airport.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
26 Feb. 2026
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Blennies and gobies are tiring to look at, darting every which way above.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Neon Grove is designed for ‘tweens between seven and 12 and The Underground is reserved for teens up to 17 years-old.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Feb. 2026
-
And maybe — just maybe — that older child will pull them into the celebration instead of pushing them away.—
Peter Folan,
Boston Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unsurprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsurprising. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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