- present participle of surprise.
surprising
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of surprising
Explanation
Surprising things are completely unexpected—they astonish or startle you. It would be surprising for most of us to get a phone call from the Queen of England. Unless you suspected your friend was planning something, the surprise party she throws for your birthday will be surprising. Things that are surprising take you aback or even confuse you a little bit. The adjective surprising comes from surprise, via the Old French sorprendre, "to overtake or seize." The original meaning of surprise party was a stealth military action.
Vocabulary lists containing surprising
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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 nests contained no fossilized bees, which the researchers say is not surprising because the cave's warm, humid conditions are poor for preserving delicate insect bodies.
From Science Daily • Jul. 5, 2026
Two factors that will help rebuild stocks faster: falling prices and a surprising glut of oil.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 5, 2026
The Supreme Court heard this case in 2001 and, in a perhaps surprising 5-4 decision, ultimately upheld the limits.
From Salon • Jul. 2, 2026
So Amazon MGM Studios became the surprising benefactor, offering Guadagnino a $40 million budget—the same amount of cash it spent to acquire Melania—along with a 2027 release date.
From Slate • Jul. 2, 2026
Instead, what happens is genuinely surprising: Theo neatly folds his hands in his own lap.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
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.
