surprisingly

[ser-prahy-zing-lee, suh-]

adverb

1. in a way that causes a feeling of wonder or astonishment.

   The artist creates works that are both approachable and surprisingly sophisticated.

2. 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

• unsurprisingly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of surprisingly¹

surprising ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

The stated intent is to share Bessie’s story when she no longer can, and surprisingly, everyone accepts this, perhaps because Squibb is too endearing to stay mad at.

From Los Angeles Times

These macro issues are worrisome, but there is a quiet and surprisingly more personal danger: AI makes us boring.

From Salon

And Milei’s party did surprisingly poorly in recent elections that took place in the large province of Buenos Aires.

From Salon

In the tribal world of K-Pop, such cases are surprisingly common, as overzealous fans attempt to trash their rivals.

From BBC

This well-established close-knit nature of the group’s DNA is why the rollout for “Double Infinity” has been surprisingly wrought, at least by Big Thief’s standards.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• absolutely 
• awfully 
• certainly 
• decidedly 
• deeply 
• eminently 
• exceedingly 
• excessively 
• extraordinarily www.thesaurus.com
• extremely 
• greatly 
• highly 
• incredibly 
• noticeably www.thesaurus.com
• particularly 
• pretty 
• profoundly 
• remarkably 
• terribly 
• truly