perhaps somewhat surprisingly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "perhaps somewhat surprisingly" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase to express that something is unexpected in a more subtle way than other phrases such as "surprisingly". For example: "Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, the issue was resolved quickly and with minimal effort."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

And, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, that step came from Florida.

The Washington Post

The "happiest" words used were adventure, heart, chocolate, and, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, school and teacher.

The Guardian

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, Mr. Jackson, who is planning to make radio commercials for Mr. Gore, will concentrate on labor.

The New York Times

Once the island's busiest aviation hub, the airport is now a mess of broken windows, filthy departures lounges and, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, abandoned aircraft.

Independent

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, Trump has proposed a 22percentt cut in Byrne Grant funding, but it isn't clear if that will survive the GOP Congress, which has carved out a pretty staunch pro-policing posture of late.

The Washington Post

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, given their station and their role in the community, the grandparents come, for Sage, to stand "for anarchy of all sorts"; but it's the inevitable anarchy of two unhappy, dreamy people lost in their own worlds yet chained to each other by circumstance.

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

These studies also demonstrated, perhaps initially somewhat surprisingly, just how different ER-positive breast cancer is from ER-negative cancers.

British Journal of Cancer

Perhaps this is why, somewhat surprisingly, it's not the abuse that makes for the most harrowing reading, but the tenderness, compassion and affection.

Independent

Somewhat surprisingly perhaps, exposure to sunlight did not seem to affect the persistency, at least of the deltamethrin pour-on (no UV absorber present), with residual effects being seen for up to 3 months.

FAO

If the early injury that prefaced Cheik Tioté limping off to be replaced – somewhat surprisingly and perhaps unwisely – by the rather less combative Florian Thauvin hardly helped McClaren's cause, it does not fully explain the poverty of his team's performance.

The Guardian - Sport

Somewhat surprisingly, during the training sessions, there was no significant behavioral discrimination, perhaps because discriminative freezing was masked by contextual conditioning and/or the unconditioned response to the shock.

European Journal of Neuroscience

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "perhaps somewhat surprisingly" to introduce a statement that deviates from expectations, softening the impact of a direct contradiction. This phrase is particularly effective when the surprising element is not entirely unexpected, but rather a slight deviation from the norm.

Common error

While "perhaps somewhat surprisingly" is versatile, overuse can dilute its impact. Vary your sentence structure and vocabulary by using synonyms or rephrasing the sentence to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "perhaps somewhat surprisingly" functions as an adverbial phrase. It modifies a sentence or clause by expressing the speaker's or writer's attitude towards the information being presented. As noted by Ludwig AI, it indicates a sense of mild surprise.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

38%

Formal & Business

14%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "perhaps somewhat surprisingly" functions as a valuable tool for introducing information that deviates slightly from the expected norm. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound and often used to soften the impact of potentially contradictory details. Its usage is common across various authoritative sources, including news outlets, scientific publications, and business reports, indicating its versatility in conveying nuanced information. It expresses that something is unexpected in a more subtle way than other phrases such as "surprisingly". While directness has value, using "perhaps somewhat surprisingly" allows for a more measured approach, acknowledging the complexity of situations and the inherent uncertainties in predictions. Alternatives include ""somewhat unexpectedly"" or ""surprisingly enough"" if greater directness is needed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

somewhat unexpectedly

Emphasizes the unexpected nature, omitting the 'perhaps' for a slightly stronger statement.

maybe surprisingly

Replaces 'perhaps somewhat' with 'maybe' for a more casual tone.

unexpectedly enough

Focuses on the unexpected nature and is often placed at the beginning of a sentence.

surprisingly enough

Similar to "unexpectedly enough", but the emphasis is on the surprise itself.

perhaps unexpectedly

Slightly more concise, omitting 'somewhat' for a more direct expression of surprise.

somewhat to my surprise

Indicates personal surprise, adding a subjective element.

rather surprisingly

Replaces 'somewhat' with 'rather' for a slightly stronger expression of surprise.

it might surprise you to know

Introduces information that may be surprising, shifting the focus to the listener.

counterintuitively

Implies that something is surprising because it goes against intuition or common sense.

against all expectations

Highlights the contrast between the outcome and what was anticipated.

FAQs

How can I use "perhaps somewhat surprisingly" in a sentence?

Use "perhaps somewhat surprisingly" to introduce a fact or observation that is unexpected, but not entirely shocking. For example, "Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, the project was completed ahead of schedule".

What are some alternatives to "perhaps somewhat surprisingly"?

You can use alternatives like "somewhat unexpectedly", "maybe surprisingly", or "surprisingly enough" to express a similar sentiment.

Is it okay to omit "perhaps" or "somewhat" from "perhaps somewhat surprisingly"?

Yes, you can use just "surprisingly" or "perhaps surprisingly" depending on the context. Omitting "somewhat" makes the statement more direct, while omitting "perhaps" implies a stronger sense of surprise.

What's the difference between "perhaps somewhat surprisingly" and "surprisingly"?

"Perhaps somewhat surprisingly" softens the impact of the surprise, suggesting a mild deviation from expectations. "Surprisingly" is more direct and indicates a greater level of unexpectedness.