- 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.
Both being successful musicians, it wouldn't be surprising if they have mingled together at events over the years.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
It’s not entirely surprising, then, that “Promising Young Woman” has found its way back into the conversation surrounding what’s happening at Cornell.
From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026
The more relevant takeaway is that, with our current combination of solid economic growth and elevated inflation, today’s yields don’t look at all surprising.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
Becerra has a confidence that -- I’ll be honest is surprising -- but shows he knows he’s doing well.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
The most surprising part was when school came back last fall and people were talking about my scroll.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
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.
