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Synonyms

surprising

American  
[ser-prahy-zing, suh-] / sərˈpraɪ zɪŋ, sə- /

adjective

  1. causing surprise, wonder, or astonishment.

  2. unexpected.

surprising British  
/ səˈpraɪzɪŋ /

adjective

  1. causing surprise; unexpected or amazing

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • surprisingly adverb
  • surprisingness noun
  • unsurprising adjective

Etymology

Origin of surprising

First recorded in 1570–80; surprise + -ing 2

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.

The most surprising result came when researchers reduced FTL1 in older mice.

From Science Daily • Apr. 5, 2026

The labor market is still in good condition overall, mind you, if just because of the surprising paucity of layoffs.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

The actor stars in a solo off-Broadway show by David Cale about a playwright stumped by the blank page who finds a surprising, unsettling source of inspiration in the form of a stalker.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Employers added a surprising 178,000 jobs to payrolls last month and unemployment dipped back to 4.3%.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

The fish traps were empty, which wasn’t surprising.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.