surprisingly
Americanadverb
-
in a way that causes a feeling of wonder or astonishment.
The artist creates works that are both approachable and surprisingly sophisticated.
-
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
Etymology
Origin of surprisingly
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.
Color also proves surprisingly difficult to pin down in words.
Not surprisingly, Garfield developed an infection and died.
But no matter how ChatGPT wants to frame it, Sora marked a surprisingly high level of rejection: It cost more than it produced for the simple reason that not enough people used it.
From Los Angeles Times
Customers were first able to visit the new New Jersey location almost a week before the official grand opening, and Wednesday morning drew a surprisingly large crowd, considering the word-of-mouth nature of the soft launch.
From Barron's
I felt better — my stomach, my skin — and, more surprisingly, I didn’t feel deprived.
From Salon
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.
