surprise
verb (used with object)
to strike or occur to with a sudden feeling of wonder or astonishment, as through unexpectedness.
were surprising
-
past progressiveof surprise.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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 said that while the attack on Iran had been anticipated, its timing and the duration of the war that has ensued were surprising.
From Barron's ● Mar. 31, 2026
The first fixtures in the group stage had been kind to England, and though there were surprising near-misses against Pakistan and Bangladesh, this back end was always going to be the phase that tested them.
From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2025
For the film’s screenwriter, Nora Garrett, both Polidoro’s question and the public’s response to it were surprising, but not unexpected.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2025
Fossils of Sphenophyllum colombianum were surprising at this time and place -- the other known members of the genus Sphenophyllum died out more than 100 million years prior.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 7, 2023
The contents were surprising, but the cloth was even more so.
From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer
