not very surprising

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "not very surprising" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express that something is expected or predictable, often in response to an event or information that aligns with prior knowledge or assumptions. Example: "Given the recent trends in the market, the drop in sales was not very surprising."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It's not very surprising.

The Guardian - Sport

In fact, that's not very surprising.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

This is not very surprising, for a couple of reasons.

The New Yorker

What your article calls "curious" is, sadly, not very surprising.

The New York Times

Yet Mr. van Hove's interpretive leap is not very surprising or thought provoking.

The New York Times

That's not very surprising — most of them are Party loyalists, after all.

The New Yorker

And suppliers always want to get paid more, which is also not very surprising".

The Guardian - Tech

The revelations about the Tory auction at Grosvenor House, published on Buzzfeed, are amusing but probably not very surprising.

The Guardian - Opinion

All this is not very surprising, these days; and I don't suppose that £570bn stayed lost for very long.

The Guardian - Opinion

As all the district sales managers listened and discussed at the end, the varieties were not very surprising as most of them were drought tolerant types.

Cornell University

I said that these conclusions were not surprising to me, and I suspect they are not very surprising to any of you.

Princeton University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "not very surprising" to downplay expectations when discussing outcomes that align with existing trends or knowledge. This helps set a measured tone in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "not very surprising" as a substitute for deeper analysis. Instead of merely stating a lack of surprise, explain the underlying reasons for the expected outcome to provide more insightful commentary.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "not very surprising" functions as an adjectival phrase that modifies a noun or pronoun, expressing a reduced level of astonishment or expectation. Ludwig AI confirms its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

33%

Academia

25%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "not very surprising" is a grammatically sound and versatile adjectival phrase used to express a limited sense of astonishment or expectation. Ludwig AI validates its prevalent use across various domains, including News & Media, Science, and Academia. The phrase functions to temper reactions, indicating that an event or outcome aligns with prior knowledge or expectations. While highly prevalent, it's important to avoid overusing it as a substitute for deeper analytical insights. Alternatives like "not unexpected" or "hardly surprising" can add nuance depending on the context. Overall, "not very surprising" is a useful tool for modulating reactions and setting a measured tone in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hardly unexpected

Emphasizes the lack of anticipation associated with the event; it was practically predictable.

scarcely astonishing

Highlights the event's lack of amazement; its effect wasn't awe-inspiring.

barely surprising

Downplays any degree of surprise; the event was almost entirely expected.

somewhat predictable

Indicates that the event had an expected outcome; it was reasonable to foresee.

quite anticipated

Stresses that the event was foreseen; it was reasonably predictable.

entirely foreseen

Highlights that the event was seen in advance; it was perceived beforehand.

easily anticipated

Underscores the event's high level of expectation; its occurrence was straightforward to envision.

distinctly foreseeable

Emphasizes the event's clear potential to occur; it was unmistakably predictable.

hardly unforeseeable

Highlights that event was certainly foreseeable or expected, though perhaps not entirely certain.

reasonably expected

Implies that the event was within the realm of what could be anticipated, perhaps due to certain patterns or norms.

FAQs

How can I use "not very surprising" in a sentence?

You can use "not very surprising" to express that something is expected or predictable. For example: "Given the company's history, the recent layoff announcement was "not very surprising"".

What are some alternatives to "not very surprising"?

You can use alternatives like "not unexpected", "hardly surprising", or "somewhat predictable" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "not very surprising"?

Yes, the phrase "not very surprising" is grammatically correct and commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to indicate a lack of astonishment or expectation.

What's the difference between "not surprising" and "not very surprising"?

While both phrases express a lack of surprise, ""not very surprising"" implies a lesser degree of surprise compared to "not surprising". The addition of "very" softens the statement, suggesting the event was somewhat anticipated.