has been surprisingly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "has been surprisingly" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express an unexpected or unanticipated quality or outcome related to a subject. Example: "The project has been surprisingly successful, exceeding all our initial expectations."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

52 human-written examples

The answer, historically, has been surprisingly little.

Independent

"Business has been surprisingly good," she added.

The New York Times

Life has been surprisingly kind to me.

The Guardian - Books

The rugby has been surprisingly educational, too.

The Guardian - Sport

The experiment has been surprisingly successful.

The New York Times

The City has been surprisingly well-behaved.

The Guardian - Opinion

"Repeat business has been surprisingly scarce".

The New York Times

The reality has been that it has been surprisingly easy.

Independent

But Indonesia's has been surprisingly free of turbulence.

The Economist

So far, criticism of the announcement has been surprisingly muted.

The New York Times - Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

This has been... surprisingly poor offensive game starting off.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "has been surprisingly" to introduce an element of unexpectedness or contrast with prior assumptions. This can add depth and interest to your writing, making it more engaging for the reader.

Common error

Avoid using "has been surprisingly" too frequently in a single piece of writing, as it can become repetitive and diminish the impact. Instead, vary your language with synonyms or rephrase sentences to convey surprise in different ways.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has been surprisingly" functions as an adverbial modifier within a sentence, adding a layer of unexpectedness or surprise to the verb it accompanies. It indicates that the action or state being described was not anticipated to the degree that it occurred, as evidenced by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "has been surprisingly" serves to introduce an unexpected element or outcome within a sentence. It's grammatically correct and versatile enough for use in various contexts, from formal scientific reports to news articles. While it appears most frequently in news and media sources, suggesting a neutral register, according to Ludwig it is crucial to avoid overuse to maintain its impact. When a different shade of meaning is required, alternatives such as "has been unexpectedly" or "has been remarkably" can be considered.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has been unexpectedly

Replaces "surprisingly" with a direct synonym, focusing on the lack of anticipation.

has been remarkably

Emphasizes the degree to which something is surprising, suggesting it is highly noteworthy.

has been surprisingly effective

Adds a specific positive outcome, clarifying the nature of the surprise.

has turned out better than expected

Focuses on the final result compared to initial expectations.

has proven more successful than anticipated

Highlights the success achieved, emphasizing the unexpected nature of it.

has been surprisingly easy

Indicates the simplicity of an action or process was unexpected.

has been shockingly

Implies a higher degree of astonishment, often with negative connotations.

has been strangely

Suggests a sense of puzzlement along with the surprise.

has been oddly

Similar to "strangely", implying something is unusual or peculiar in addition to being surprising.

has been astonishingly

Similar to "remarkably", with a slightly stronger emphasis on amazement.

FAQs

How can I use "has been surprisingly" in a sentence?

Use "has been surprisingly" to express that something happened in a way that was not expected. For instance, "The project "has been surprisingly" successful, exceeding all initial forecasts."

What can I say instead of "has been surprisingly"?

You can use alternatives like "has been unexpectedly", "has been remarkably", or "has been astonishingly" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is "surprisingly has been" grammatically correct compared to "has been surprisingly"?

No, the correct word order is "has been surprisingly". The adverb 'surprisingly' modifies 'been', and adverbs typically precede the verb they modify. "Surprisingly has been" is not standard English.

What's the difference between "has been surprisingly good" and "was surprisingly good"?

"Has been surprisingly good" implies that something started in the past and continues to be surprisingly good until now. "Was surprisingly good" refers to a specific instance or period in the past.