surprising

1 of 2

adjective

sur·​pris·​ing sər-ˈprī-ziŋ 

sə-

: of a nature that excites surprise

surprising

2 of 2

present participle of surprise entry 2

Synonyms of surprising

Adjective

• startling
• amazing
• shocking
• stunning
• astonishing

Examples of surprising in a Sentence

Adjective

It's not surprising that he doesn't want to go.

The changes to the campus were surprising.

He shows a surprising lack of concern for others.

A surprising number of people were laid off at the factory.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Bird has concerns, particularly around the build-up of power around technological advancements, which push the film into surprising and exciting dystopian directions. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026

On Frequency of Love, Monét stretches out, pushing the boundaries of the sophisticated, retro sound of her previous album and finding some surprising new angles to her songwriting. — Molly Mary O’Brien, Pitchfork, 7 Oct. 2026

Some of the winless teams aren't too surprising, with Miami there as part of a rebuild in a season when the Dolphins are carrying a record $184 million in dead money charges on the salary cap. — ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026

Engineers made a surprising design choice by favoring moderate magnetic permeability over maximum levels to balance system performance. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1614, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for surprising

• advising
• apprising
• arising
• baptizing
• capsizing
• chastising
• comprising
• despising
• devising
• disguising
• downsizing
• excising

Kids Definition

surprising

adjective

sur·​pris·​ing

sə(r)-ˈprī-ziŋ

: causing surprise : amazing