surprising

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'surprising' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that is unexpected and difficult to believe. Example sentence: It was a surprisingly sunny day for December.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Film

Business

Sport

Travel

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This is hardly surprising.

The New York Times - Sports

This was hardly surprising.

The Guardian - Film

That is hardly surprising.

The Economist

Perhaps that is not surprising.

The Economist

"It was a bit trial and error but it has been surprising how fast we have grown".

The Guardian

It might seem surprising the story has not been made into a film before.

The Guardian - Film

"Morale among his staff is at rock bottom," says the NUJ statement, which is hardly surprising.

The Guardian

It's not surprising the young know so little politically and care even less.

The Guardian

The fact that their playoff lives lasted this late into the season was surprising.

The Guardian - Sport

I'm not entirely convinced – although given I have a Virgin subscription, that's hardly surprising.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

"EE's decision on Friday is surprising in the context of a contract that has more than a year to run and leaves the board with no alternative but to seek the administrator's protection in the interests of all its stakeholders".

The Guardian - Business

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "surprising" to introduce an element of unexpectedness or to highlight a deviation from what is commonly believed or anticipated. This can add intrigue and emphasis to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "surprising" to describe events that are statistically likely or generally expected given the circumstances. Doing so weakens the impact of the word and can make your writing seem less insightful.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "surprising" is as an adjective. It modifies nouns to describe something that causes surprise or is unexpected. Ludwig's examples demonstrate its use in various contexts, aligning with the grammatical assessment.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Film

8%

Business

7%

Less common in

Sport

5%

Travel

3%

Science

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "surprising" functions as an adjective to denote something unexpected or remarkable. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread usage across various domains. It's frequently found in News & Media sources and can add emphasis and intrigue to writing when used thoughtfully. While alternatives like "unexpected" and "astonishing" exist, "surprising" conveys a nuance of wonder or disbelief. Overusing the word in predictable contexts should be avoided to maintain its impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unexpected

Focuses on the lack of anticipation or predictability.

astonishing

Emphasizes the degree of amazement or disbelief caused.

remarkable

Highlights the noteworthiness or unusual quality of something.

unforeseen

Stresses the inability to have predicted the event or situation.

startling

Indicates a sudden and sometimes alarming surprise.

unanticipated

Similar to unexpected, but may suggest a greater degree of certainty that something wouldn't happen.

out of the blue

Idiomatic expression for something happening suddenly and unexpectedly.

eye-opening

Indicates that something revealed new information or a new perspective.

stunning

Implies a beautiful or impressive surprise.

a bolt from the blue

Similar to "out of the blue", emphasizing suddenness and unexpectedness.

FAQs

How can I use "surprising" in a sentence?

You can use "surprising" to describe something unexpected or remarkable. For example, "It was "a surprising result"" or "The data revealed "surprising insights"".

What are some alternatives to the word "surprising"?

Some alternatives to "surprising" include "unexpected", "astonishing", and "remarkable". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Which is correct, "surprising" or "surprised"?

"Surprising" describes something that causes surprise, while "surprised" describes the feeling of being surprised. For example, "The news was surprising" (it caused surprise), and "I was surprised by the news" (I felt surprise).

What's the difference between "surprising" and "unexpected"?

While both words indicate something not anticipated, "surprising" often carries a stronger connotation of wonder or disbelief, whereas "unexpected" simply means not predicted or foreseen.