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
Amazing
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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.
He found the academic side of the course surprising, noting there are "lots of different things that I wouldn't think go into like just playing games".
From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026
A rising tide may lift all boats, but Goetz expects the race to produce some surprising winners.
From Barron's • Jun. 21, 2026
Plus, the hacker sent to calm the U.S. government’s nerves about AI, the surprising benefits of 3-D-printed batteries, Elon’s $86 billion war chest and more.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 21, 2026
For those seeking additional, evidence-backed tweaks, a surprising finding is that when you exercise also matters.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 21, 2026
The old woman had paid them no mind as she took Koffi from him and carried her to a large hut in the clearing's center with surprising ease.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
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.
