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
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Recent Examples of surprising
Alexandra Schonfeld, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
Princess Anne making this particular stop shouldn’t be surprising, considering she’s widely seen as the hardest-working royal.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 23 Sep. 2025
Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025
Detroit rapper Kash Doll pulled out all the stops for her boyfriend, NFL star Za’Darius Smith’s 33rd birthday, surprising him with a custom ride that has fans talking.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for surprising
Adjective
Six seasons later, the foursome experienced countless romantic ups and downs — and one surprising pairing ultimately captured viewer's hearts as one of TV’s most beloved couples.
—Verb
After tense standoffs with Mallory (Crystle Stewart) and Horace's ex-wife, Olivia (Debbi Morgan), Kimmie enters the meeting and promptly takes it over, surprising the family with her mind for numbers.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for surprising
Adjective
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These systems can test your personality with startling accuracy.—
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The sheep alien bangs its head on the glass in the nextdoor cell, startling Tootles, who falls over and spills the tray.—
Adjective
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The astonishing diversity among plumeria seedlings coming from the same pod is attributable to the large number of chromosomes in each plumeria cell, which is 54.—
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MicroStrategy remains the leader among corporate crypto treasuries, holding over 638,000 bitcoins valued at an astonishing $71 billion.—
Verb
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The entertainment giant accused Sling TV’s parent of ambushing it with the offering, allegedly without consultation, to capitalize on the starts of the college football and NFL seasons.—
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The president has constantly mocked Powell on social media, and accused him of mismanaging renovations of the Fed’s headquarters, even ambushing the Fed chief with a new cost estimate for a facility renovation in front of rolling television cameras.—
Adjective
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The aluminum body is slim and light but still feels sturdy, and the OLED screen makes movies and presentations look amazing anywhere.—
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Many are amazing kids who’ve just been through terrible things and had no control over any of it.—
Adjective
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Watching his wonderful kids, Amy, Jamie and Shauna, grow up and become deeply connected to the arts and making an impact in this world has been an immense privilege.—
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Accessible by car or Amtrak’s Northeast Regional line, which offers thrice-daily service, Culpeper is a wonderful destination for a leisurely and enriching getaway.—
Verb
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Two months after catastrophic flooding killed 27 girls and counselors at Camp Mystic, the famed Texas camp plans to reopen – shocking some family members who still don’t know where their loved one is.—
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The Live With Kelly and Mark cohost made a joke on the matter Thursday morning, shocking husband Mark Consuelos after his wife read aloud a statistic about divorce rates plummeting in the United States.—
Adjective
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To experience everything that wintertime Zürich has to offer, book a room at La Réserve Eden au Lac Zürich, a five-star hotel with stunning Lake Zürich views and spaces designed by Philippe Starck.—
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The surrounding views of Verrado and the desert are genuinely stunning, especially at sunrise.—
Adjective
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Draped by defenders, the junior wideout corralled a miraculous catch in the red zone, then somehow slipped loose for a go-ahead 45-yard touchdown reception.—
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Less than an hour after making his frantic and somewhat miraculous 59-yarder, Butker missed the 33-yard extra point wide right.—
Cite this Entry
“Surprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surprising. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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