surprising truth

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "surprising truth" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a fact or reality that is unexpected or not widely known. Example: "The surprising truth about the ancient civilization was that they had advanced technology far beyond what historians had previously believed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

What surprising truth motivated you to write "Drive"?

The New Yorker

"But the surprising truth is that equality is good for men, too".

The New Yorker

If people have seen some terrible or surprising truth, they want to tell others about it.

The New Yorker

Featured Guest: Daniel Pink, author of Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.

Harvard Business Review

But the surprising truth is that, historically speaking, payola has often fostered musical diversity, rather than squelching it.

The New Yorker

THE BOOK: Daniel Pink's "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" DO THEY ACTUALLY DISCUSS THE BOOK: Yes, passionately.

The New Yorker

The surprising truth is that there are thousands of successful, majority worker-owned businesses in the United States.

The Guardian - Opinion

We're going to be talking about his new book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.

Harvard Business Review

His next book, To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others (Riverhead), will be published in January 2013.

Harvard Business Review

The surprising truth, as I learned last Saturday, is that you shouldn't undersell pretension as a social tool.

The New York Times - Style

10.D. Pink, "The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us," Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, www.youtube.com.com

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "surprising truth" to add emphasis and intrigue when revealing a fact that contradicts common assumptions or expectations.

Common error

Avoid using "surprising truth" for trivial or self-evident facts; reserve it for genuinely unexpected or counterintuitive revelations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "surprising truth" functions as a noun phrase, often acting as a subject complement or appositive. As Ludwig AI indicates, it introduces a fact that is unexpected. For example, Ludwig's examples show it being used to preface revelations in news and academic contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Academia

18%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Science

4%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "surprising truth" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression, employed to introduce facts that contradict common expectations. Ludwig AI confirms its usability across various contexts, particularly in news, media, and academic settings. Alternatives like "unexpected reality" or "astonishing fact" can be used depending on the nuances you wish to convey. The phrase's effectiveness lies in its ability to draw attention to counterintuitive information, making it a valuable tool for writers aiming to engage and inform their audience.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unexpected reality

Focuses on the reality being unexpected.

astonishing fact

Highlights the fact's ability to astonish.

unforeseen fact

Emphasizes the lack of foresight regarding the fact.

hidden reality

Stresses that the truth was not obvious or easily accessible.

unanticipated revelation

Highlights the unexpected unveiling of the truth.

unbelievable fact

Emphasizes that the truth is hard to believe.

startling discovery

Focuses on the shock of discovering the truth.

unknown fact

Highlights that the fact was previously unknown.

unrecognized truth

Emphasizes that the truth was not acknowledged.

unpredicted outcome

Focuses on an outcome that was not foreseen.

FAQs

How can I use "surprising truth" in a sentence?

You can use "surprising truth" to introduce a fact that challenges conventional wisdom. For example, "The "surprising truth" is that many successful entrepreneurs had previous failures."

What can I say instead of "surprising truth"?

You can use alternatives like "unexpected reality", "astonishing fact", or "unforeseen fact" depending on the context.

Is it always necessary to emphasize the surprising aspect of a truth?

No, emphasizing the surprising aspect is not always necessary. Use "surprising truth" when you want to highlight the unexpected or counterintuitive nature of the fact. Otherwise, a straightforward statement of the truth is sufficient.

Which is correct, "surprising truth" or "the truth that is surprising"?

Both "surprising truth" and "the truth that is surprising" are grammatically correct, but "surprising truth" is more concise and impactful. The longer phrase can be used for emphasis or clarification, but is generally less common.