an incredible surprise

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an incredible surprise" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a surprise that is exceptionally remarkable or astonishing. Example: "When she walked into the surprise party, it was truly an incredible surprise that left her speechless."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

But I was in for an incredible surprise.

The Guardian - Travel

"This book will be an incredible surprise for people".

The New York Times - Arts

Bale said the success of the film had been an "incredible surprise" to him.

Independent

The projection: Mr. Romney will win the 13 statewide delegates unless there is an incredible surprise.

The New York Times

Route 128, less heralded than Route 1, is an incredible surprise for its beauty; I relax again.

The New York Times

I don't know if the Vikings can make the playoffs this year – tough closing schedule – BUT that they got this close is an incredible surprise and is very promising.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

The Rev. Martin Hawley of Reformation Hope ministries in Marietta, Ga., said the response to what happened at the orphanage "was an incredible surprise--we never expected it to happen".

Huffington Post

The traditional thank-you letter she received went on to say: "Today I had the incredible surprise of finding out that I was going to get to eat breakfast with Dennis Hastert, the speaker of the House.

The New York Times

To his incredible surprise, progress came quickly.

Forbes

I knew nothing about the project while I was auditioning, and so it was one incredible surprise after another as the cast was brought together and announced.

HuffPost

This hardworking man's incredible surprise for his grandparents will make you want to pick up the phone and call grandma and grandpa. .

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "an incredible surprise" to highlight a genuinely positive and unexpected event. Ensure the context clearly indicates the surprise was welcome and significant.

Common error

Avoid using "an incredible surprise" for trivial or commonplace events. Reserve it for situations where the unexpectedness truly warrants the strong adjective.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an incredible surprise" primarily functions as a noun phrase, serving as the object or subject complement in a sentence. It describes a specific instance of unexpectedness and often evokes a sense of delight or astonishment. As Ludwig AI indicates, the phrase is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Academia

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an incredible surprise" is a grammatically correct and readily usable phrase to describe an event or outcome that is both unexpected and highly positive. As indicated by Ludwig AI, this phrase is suitable for various contexts, though is most commonly found in News & Media. To maximize impact, reserve this phrase for genuinely significant surprises. Remember to use "an" before "incredible" and consider stronger synonyms like "a delightful shock" or "a stunning discovery" for added emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an unexpected delight

Replaces "incredible surprise" with a direct description of something bringing joy that wasn't anticipated.

a delightful shock

Replaces "surprise" with "shock" to emphasize the unexpected nature, and "incredible" with "delightful" to highlight the positive feeling.

a complete astonishment

Uses "astonishment" as a more intense synonym for "surprise" and "complete" to emphasize the thoroughness of the feeling.

an amazing revelation

Substitutes "surprise" with "revelation" suggesting something previously unknown being unveiled, and "incredible" with "amazing" to convey a strong positive impression.

a staggering revelation

Emphasizes the impact and magnitude of the surprise, portraying it as overwhelming.

a stunning discovery

Replaces "surprise" with "discovery" implying the finding of something unexpected, and "incredible" with "stunning" to highlight the impressive nature.

a genuine wonder

Replaces "surprise" with "wonder" highlighting a feeling of awe and amazement, and "incredible" with "genuine" emphasizing authenticity.

a breathtaking turn of events

Focuses on the dramatic and unexpected nature of the events that caused the surprise.

a marvelous event

Shifts from focusing on the surprise to the positive nature of the event, using "marvelous" to describe it.

a phenomenal stroke of luck

Attributes the surprise to good fortune, highlighting the positive and fortunate aspect of the unexpected event.

FAQs

How can I use "an incredible surprise" in a sentence?

Use "an incredible surprise" to describe something unexpected and highly positive. For instance, "Winning the lottery was "an incredible surprise"".

What's a more formal alternative to "an incredible surprise"?

In formal contexts, consider using "an exceptional revelation" or "a remarkable discovery" to maintain a sophisticated tone while conveying the same sense of astonishment and delight.

Is it correct to say "a incredible surprise" instead of "an incredible surprise"?

No, it is incorrect. The indefinite article "an" is used before words that begin with a vowel sound, while "a" is used before consonant sounds. "Incredible" begins with a vowel sound, so "an incredible surprise" is the correct form.

What is the difference between "an incredible surprise" and "a pleasant surprise"?

"An incredible surprise" implies a greater magnitude of unexpectedness and positive impact than "a pleasant surprise". The former is used for truly remarkable events, while the latter is suitable for more moderate, happy surprises.