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Surprising: meaning, definitions and examples

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surprising

 

[ səˈpraɪzɪŋ ]

Adjective / Noun
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Adjective

adjective

Causing surprise, wonder, or amazement. Unexpected or astonishing.

Synonyms

amazing, astonishing, unexpected

Examples of usage

  • It was a surprising turn of events.
  • Her performance was surprisingly good.
  • The surprising news left everyone speechless.
Context #2 | Noun

noun

An unexpected or astonishing event, fact, or thing.

Synonyms

bombshell, revelation, shock

Examples of usage

  • The party was full of surprises.
  • Life is full of surprises.

Translations

Translations of the word "surprising" in other languages:

🇵🇹 surpreendente

🇮🇳 आश्चर्यजनक

🇩🇪 überraschend

🇮🇩 mengejutkan

🇺🇦 дивовижний

🇵🇱 zaskakujący

🇯🇵 驚くべき (おどろくべき)

🇫🇷 surprenant

🇪🇸 sorprendente

🇹🇷 şaşırtıcı

🇰🇷 놀라운

🇸🇦 مفاجئ

🇨🇿 překvapivý

🇸🇰 prekvapujúci

🇨🇳 惊人的 (jīngrén de)

🇸🇮 presenetljiv

🇮🇸 áhugavert

🇰🇿 таңқаларлық

🇬🇪 გასაოცარი

🇦🇿 təəccüblü

🇲🇽 sorprendente

Etymology

The word 'surprising' originated from the Middle English word 'surprisen', which comes from the Old French word 'surprendre', meaning 'to overtake' or 'seize'. The sense of 'surprise' as causing astonishment or wonder developed in the 16th century. Throughout history, the concept of surprise has been associated with unexpected or astonishing events, adding depth and intrigue to human experiences.

See also: surprised, surprises, surprisingly.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #3,777, this word is part of upper-intermediate vocabulary. While not among the most basic terms, it appears often enough to be valuable for advanced communication.