1
as in startling
causing a strong emotional reaction because of unexpectedness
the surprising news that they were going to have a baby had them rushing to buy nursery furniture
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in astonishing
causing wonder or astonishment
it's surprising how much knowledge of physics the architects of those immense medieval cathedrals must have had
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also surprizing
1
as in amazing
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected
I was very surprised when my parents offered to pay the down payment on our house
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in ambushing
to lie in wait for and attack by surprise
FBI agents surprised the counterfeiters in their own base of operations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of surprising
Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 10 July 2025
In her debut cookbook, Nguyen blends Vietnamese roots with her New Orleans upbringing, creating deeply flavorful recipes that are both comforting and surprising.
—Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 July 2025
This was a surprising finding that revealed that a sense of belonging — something HR traditionally considered unmeasurable — was actually one of the strongest precursors of retention.
—Nia Bowers, USA Today, 30 June 2025
However, digging deeper reveals a surprising insight.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for surprising
Adjective
What’s surprising, and altogether honest on the filmmaker’s part, is how much Ester wants to be seduced.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 10 July 2025
In her debut cookbook, Nguyen blends Vietnamese roots with her New Orleans upbringing, creating deeply flavorful recipes that are both comforting and surprising.
—Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 July 2025
This was a surprising finding that revealed that a sense of belonging — something HR traditionally considered unmeasurable — was actually one of the strongest precursors of retention.
—Nia Bowers, USA Today, 30 June 2025
However, digging deeper reveals a surprising insight.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for surprising
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surprising
Adjective
-
Home surveillance footage captured the startling moment a single-engine Cessna 150 flipped over in a backyard in South Carolina.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
3 July 2025
-
The stars of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season 2 reunited for a tell-all special on July 1 which brought a number of startling revelations to the forefront — and forced the ladies to confront the questions that have been on everyone's minds.—
Rebecca Aizin,
People.com,
3 July 2025
Adjective
-
In fact, her record is astonishing as a manager at the Euros with 12 wins from 12 matches.—
Darren Richman,
New York Times,
5 July 2025
-
The circle's latest trick in its astonishing 100-year history?—
Marcus K. Dowling,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Adjective
-
But to say Destiny’s Child gave me the green light is amazing.—
Kyle Denis,
Billboard,
14 July 2025
-
The shoes have amazing cushioning that provides serious support, which was ideal for long walks in Athens.—
Alexis Benveniste,
Travel + Leisure,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
This no-churn ice cream recipe extracts all the wonderful flavor from the corn by simmering both the kernels and cobs in whipping cream and sweetened condensed milk to make sure every bite is filled with corn flavor.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
14 July 2025
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So many wonderful age gap and power dynamics going on in this novel that really set the tone for a whole generation of writers to come.—
Hattie Williams
July 14,
Literary Hub,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
Jung-bae wound up in a room of three, with Player 001 and some rando — but Player 001 choked the stranger to death in time to reduce their head count, shocking Jung-bae more than a bit.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
26 Dec. 2024
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Fox News Digital obtained shocking audio between Cyrus and his estranged wife where the country crooner is heard berating his Australian ex and using profane language.—
Ashley Hume,
Fox News,
26 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The broad market index made a stunning turnaround from its April lows to end June with a second-quarter gain of nearly 11%.—
Brian Evans,
CNBC,
5 July 2025
-
Bayern Munich have won the Champions League on six separate occasions while PSG finally got over the line this season with a stunning 5-0 win over Inter Milan that could mark the beginning of an era of dominance for the French giants.—
Darren Richman,
New York Times,
5 July 2025
Adjective
-
The fact that any programming – sports or not – can cut through that clutter and reach 10 million or more households is frankly miraculous at this point.—
John Cassillo,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
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And then there’s The Big Piece, a feat of recovery that feels miraculous for entirely different reasons.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
6 July 2025
Adjective
-
The raging storm, fueled by incredible amounts of moisture, woke up her cabin just after midnight Friday.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
6 July 2025
-
From there, Homa two-putted to save an incredible par.—
Julio Cesar Valdera Morales,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Surprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surprising. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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