- 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.
But it would not be surprising if the BJP eventually figures it out it, Pal says.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
"We don't always know the full significance of the specimens we collect. New technologies, ideas or expertise often find surprising ways to utilize existing specimens to make new discoveries."
From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026
There can be many reasonable reactions to the surprising news that Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, along with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are returning to Britain.
From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026
How does she feel about the TV Academy’s surprising change?
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
This is more and more surprising by the minute.
From "Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun" by Hena Khan
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.
