surprising

[ ser-prahy-zing, suh- ]

/ sərˈpraɪ zɪŋ, sə- /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR surprising ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

causing surprise, wonder, or astonishment.

unexpected.

Nearby words

Origin of surprising

First recorded in 1570–80; surprise + -ing²

Related formssur·pris·ing·ly, adverbun·sur·pris·ing, adjectiveun·sur·pris·ing·ly, adverb

Definition for surprising (2 of 2)

surprise

[ ser-prahyz, suh- ]

/ sərˈpraɪz, sə- /

verb (used with object), sur·prised, sur·pris·ing.

to strike or occur to with a sudden feeling of wonder or astonishment, as through unexpectedness: Her beauty surprised me.

to come upon or discover suddenly and unexpectedly: We surprised the children raiding the cookie jar.

to make an unexpected assault on (an unprepared army, fort, person, etc.).

to elicit or bring out suddenly and without warning: to surprise the facts from the witness.

to lead or bring unawares, as into doing something not intended: to surprise a witness into telling the truth.

noun

an act or instance of surprising or being surprised.

something that surprises someone; a completely unexpected occurrence, appearance, or statement: His announcement was a surprise to all.

an assault, as on an army or a fort, made without warning.

a coming upon unexpectedly; detecting in the act; taking unawares.

Origin of surprise

1425–75; (noun) late Middle English < Anglo-French surpris(e), Middle French, past participle of surprendre, equivalent to sur- sur-¹ + pris (masculine), prise (feminine) < Latin prēnsus, -sa, equivalent to prēnd(ere), contracted variant of prehendere to take (see prehension) + -tus, -ta past participle suffix; (v.) late Middle English surprisen < Anglo-French surpris(e) (past participle), Middle French, as above

SYNONYMS FOR surprise

1 Surprise, astonish, amaze, astound mean to strike with wonder because of unexpectedness, strangeness, unusualness, etc. To surprise is to take unawares or to affect with wonder: surprised at receiving a telegram. To astonish is to strike with wonder by something unlooked for, startling, or seemingly inexplicable: astonished at someone's behavior. To amaze is to astonish so greatly as to disconcert or bewilder: amazed at such an evidence of stupidity. To astound is to so overwhelm with surprise that one is unable to think or act: astounded by the news.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR surprise ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formssur·pris·ed·ly

[ser-prahy-zid-lee, -prahyzd-, suh-] /sərˈpraɪ zɪd li, -ˈpraɪzd-, sə-/, adverbsur·pris·er, nounsu·per·sur·prise, nounun·sur·prised, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for surprising

And yet as Robert Ward discovered, Marvin—for all of his larger-than-life machismo—was surprising in real life.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
This was very blunt and surprising to hear from any official in charge of an aviation disaster.
Did Bad Weather Bring Down AirAsia 8501?|Clive Irving|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Yet King and others are likely to find new support for such measures thanks to a surprising source: the President.
The Progressive Case Against Birthright Citizenship|Keli Goff|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We will see some surprising groups, maybe a legion of them, face the Six.
Gail Simone’s Bisexual Catman and the ‘Secret Six’|Rich Goldstein|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST

In some ways, the rapid spread of the virus there should not be surprising.
Millions Promised for Ebola Not Adding Up|Abby Haglage|November 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Parents later wonder where children have picked up their strange ideals and their surprising standards.
Child Versus Parent|Stephen Wise
Hence it could not be surprising that the storm of popular opinion made itself heard with a louder and a louder sound.
The Uncollected Writings of Thomas de Quincey, Vol. 2|Thomas de Quincey
Well, that was surprising: he thought that the college teached such things, or why did it cost so much money to go there to learn?
Footprints of Former Men in Far Cornwall|Robert S. Hawker
Is it surprising that, philosopher as he was, he should have given way to grief and despondency.
Beacon Lights of History, Volume III|John Lord
A large volume, yet one arrives at the end of it with surprising quickness, because the pages seem to slip over of themselves.
Books and Persons|Arnold Bennett

British Dictionary definitions for surprising (1 of 2)

surprising

/ (səˈpraɪzɪŋ) /

adjective

causing surprise; unexpected or amazing

Derived Formssurprisingly, adverbsurprisingness, noun

British Dictionary definitions for surprising (2 of 2)

surprise

/ (səˈpraɪz) /

verb (tr)

to cause to feel amazement or wonder

to encounter or discover unexpectedly or suddenly

to capture or assault suddenly and without warning

to present with something unexpected, such as a gift

(foll by into) to provoke (someone) to unintended action by a trick, etcto surprise a person into an indiscretion

(often foll by from) to elicit by unexpected behaviour or by a trickto surprise information from a prisoner

noun

the act or an instance of surprising; the act of taking unawares

a sudden or unexpected event, gift, etc

the feeling or condition of being surprised; astonishment

(modifier) causing, characterized by, or relying upon surprisea surprise move

take by surprise

to come upon suddenly and without warning
to capture unexpectedly or catch unprepared
to astonish; amaze

Derived Formssurprisal, nounsurprised, adjectivesurprisedly (səˈpraɪzɪdlɪ), adverbsurpriser, noun

Word Origin for surprise

C15: from Old French, from surprendre to overtake, from sur- 1 + prendre from Latin prehendere to grasp; see prehensile

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

Word Origin and History for surprising (1 of 2)

surprise

late 14c., "unexpected attack or capture," from Middle French surprise "a taking unawares," from noun use of past participle of Old French surprendre "to overtake," from sur- "over" (see sur-) + prendre "to take," from Latin prendere, contracted from prehendere "to grasp, seize" (see prehensile). Meaning "something unexpected" first recorded 1590s, that of "feeling caused by something unexpected" is c.1600. Meaning "fancy dish" is attested from 1708.

A Surprize is ... a dish ... which promising little from its first appearance, when open abounds with all sorts of variety. [W. King, "Cookery," 1708]

Surprise party originally was a military detachment (1841); festive sense is attested from 1858.

Word Origin and History for surprising (1 of 2)

surprise

late 14c., from Anglo-French surprise, fem. past participle of surprendre (see surprise (n.)). Related: Surprised; surprising.

Idioms and Phrases with surprising

surprise

see take by surprise.

surprising

adjective

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Nearby words

Origin of surprising

Definition for surprising (2 of 2)

surprise

verb (used with object), sur·prised, sur·pris·ing.

noun

Origin of surprise

Examples from the Web for surprising

British Dictionary definitions for surprising (1 of 2)

surprising

adjective

British Dictionary definitions for surprising (2 of 2)

surprise

verb (tr)

noun

Word Origin for surprise

Word Origin and History for surprising (1 of 2)

surprise

Word Origin and History for surprising (1 of 2)

surprise

Idioms and Phrases with surprising

surprise