surprisingly
Americanadverb
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in a way that causes a feeling of wonder or astonishment.
The artist creates works that are both approachable and surprisingly sophisticated.
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in a way that is seen as unlikely or unexpected.
Despite its geographic isolation and small population, Reykjavik is surprisingly cosmopolitan.
The phone has an impressive array of features, and yet is surprisingly affordable.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of surprisingly
Explanation
When something happens in a way that amazes you, use the adverb surprisingly, like when you find the kids at your new school to be surprisingly friendly. If a situation is surprising, it is completely unexpected — and you can say that it happens surprisingly. You might discover that the day is surprisingly warm, and you don't need your furry hat after all; or you may realize that college is surprisingly difficult after you breezed through high school. The French root word is surprise, "a taking unawares," which comes from surprendre, "to overtake." Surprisingly is surprisingly old, dating from the 1600's.
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.
It’s a surprisingly sour approach for a Facebook origin story.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 29, 2026
But they are only one part of a much larger archive that remains surprisingly underused.
From BBC • Jun. 27, 2026
He said 2026 was "surprisingly similar" to 2022, which for glaciers was "by far the most extreme year ever recorded in the Alps, with melt rates shattering everything we had seen before".
From Barron's • Jun. 27, 2026
Even relatively small asteroids can have surprisingly eventful histories.
From Science Daily • Jun. 25, 2026
The angler fish’s large abdomen crashed against the ice, and surprisingly, the ice did not crack.
From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young
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.
