surprise
verb (used with object)
to strike or occur to with a sudden feeling of wonder or astonishment, as through unexpectedness.
are surprising
-
present progressiveof surprise.present progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or state that is currently taking place in the immediate present.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Cyclospora is not a new pathogen by any stretch, but the sheer numbers here are surprising, even to health officials.
From Salon ● Jul. 10, 2026
Emotional arcs are readily discernible, and there are surprising shifts in tempo and density.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026
"These are surprising, new venues, not the usual event spaces we're used to seeing," says the venue hunter who heads the Records Collection agency.
From Barron's ● Jan. 23, 2026
There are surprising moments too - one inmate, occasionally allowed time alone with her husband, has even got pregnant.
From BBC ● Dec. 18, 2024
Putting aside its crude notions of Egyptology, and its wild speculations on religious topics, we must be prepared to admire its fresh and finely-coloured word pictures, the glow and power of which are surprising.
From Celebrated Women Travellers of the Nineteenth Century by W. H. Davenport Adams
