surprisingly rapid

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "surprisingly rapid" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that occurs at a faster pace than expected or anticipated. Example: "The project's progress was surprisingly rapid, exceeding all our initial timelines."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

50 human-written examples

The rebalancing of the Chinese economy is making surprisingly rapid progress.

The Guardian - Opinion

The results, Dr. Brewis said, suggest a surprisingly rapid "globalization of fat stigma".

The New York Times

Couple it with austerity and revivals can be surprisingly rapid, as exports surge and imports plunge.

The New York Times

The surprisingly rapid acceptance of legal gay marriage is a good example.

The Economist

One uncertainty is the softening ad market, which is losing steam at a surprisingly rapid rate, as the economy slows.

The New York Times

It's also because of the surprisingly rapid evolution of the same-sex marriage issue and of the marriage cases awaiting Supreme Court argument two months from now.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

8 human-written examples

Surprisingly, this rapid evolution was not accompanied by changes in degree distribution; degree distribution in the evolved networks was not substantially different from that of randomly generated networks.

Plosone

The A1-IRS peptide interacts with eIF4E, inhibits in vitro translation and, surprisingly, provokes rapid and massive cell death in a wide variety of cancer cell lines.

Cell Death and Disease

One is the subject of a surprisingly smooth and rapid diplomatic process leading almost inevitably to a long-sought independence.

The Economist

I say surprisingly because the rapid rise in popularity of iPhones and iPads happened in Samsung's own backyard.

BBC

Surprisingly, despite their rapid evolution in the character subject to selection (attractor length and number, respectively), these evolved networks did not seem atypical in other respects.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "surprisingly rapid" when you want to emphasize that the speed of something was unexpected and notable. It's particularly effective in describing progress, changes, or developments.

Common error

Avoid using "surprisingly rapid" in situations where speed is inherently expected. This can diminish the impact of the phrase and make your writing sound melodramatic.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "surprisingly rapid" functions as an adverbial modifier followed by an adjective. It modifies a noun or noun phrase to indicate that something is happening at an unexpectedly high speed. Ludwig provides numerous examples of this usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "surprisingly rapid" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase that describes something occurring at an unexpectedly fast pace. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and broad applicability. It is used in diverse contexts like news, science, and encyclopedias. While versatile, it's best reserved for situations where the speed genuinely defies expectations to maintain its impact. Alternatives like "unexpectedly quick" or "astonishingly fast" can be used depending on the nuance you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

surprisingly swift

Replaces 'rapid' with 'swift', maintaining the same meaning.

surprisingly quick

Replaces 'rapid' with 'quick', keeping the essence unchanged.

unexpectedly quick

Focuses on the lack of anticipation of the speed.

astonishingly fast

Emphasizes the degree of speed as being remarkable.

unexpectedly swift

Combines 'unexpectedly' with 'swift' for a slightly different nuance.

remarkably swift

Highlights the notable quickness of the action or event.

astonishingly quick

Uses 'astonishingly' to emphasize the unexpected nature of the speed.

unforeseen pace

Stresses that the rate of progress was not anticipated.

unanticipated speed

Similar to 'unforeseen pace', but focuses on the velocity itself.

unbelievably fast

Focuses on the speed being almost too fast to be believed.

FAQs

What does "surprisingly rapid" mean?

The phrase "surprisingly rapid" means something is happening or progressing faster than expected. It combines the element of surprise with the concept of speed.

How can I use "surprisingly rapid" in a sentence?

You can use "surprisingly rapid" to describe any process or event that progresses quickly and unexpectedly. For example: "The city experienced a "surprisingly rapid" economic recovery after the disaster".

What are some synonyms for "surprisingly rapid"?

Alternatives for "surprisingly rapid" include "unexpectedly quick", "astonishingly fast", or "remarkably swift". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it ever incorrect to use "surprisingly rapid"?

While grammatically correct, using "surprisingly rapid" might be inappropriate if the speed is already implied or expected in the context. Consider whether the surprise element genuinely adds value to the sentence.