this seems surprising

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "this seems surprising" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when expressing that something appears unexpected or not in line with your expectations. Example: "After reviewing the data, this seems surprising given the trends we've observed over the past year."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

25 human-written examples

This seems surprising.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

At first glance, this seems surprising.

Princeton University

Given Sweden's relative economic success, this seems surprising.

The Economist

Given that these individuals are supposed to be the wealthiest among the population, this seems surprising.

The Journal of Chinese Sociology

This seems surprising as experienced planners and evaluators are well aware that unintended consequences frequently occur.

Evaluation and Program Planning

This seems surprising, I say: surely he must have been dying to ask?

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

35 human-written examples

On one hand this fact hardly seems surprising.

Stanford University

This seemed surprising, since Meagher had often argued that, when performed correctly, fingerprint analysis is an "objective" science.

The New Yorker

This seemed surprising, since Cohen, an expert on democracy and justice, co-edited a book called "The New Inequality," in the late nineties, before it was a hot topic, and has devoted many pages of Boston Review to the subject.

The New Yorker

This seemed surprising because development and use of these double sampling estimators have continued over many years, presumably because it has been anticipated that one or other of them is preferable to the others.

New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science

This seemed surprising, because amelioration of fasting HGP would have been expected to go along with improved insulin-mediated HGP suppression, as precisely studied in T2DM patients (23).

Diabetes Care

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "this seems surprising", ensure that the 'this' refers to a specific situation, fact, or observation that has been clearly established in the preceding context. This provides clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

While acceptable, "this seems surprising" can sometimes sound informal in highly formal or academic writing. Consider using more sophisticated alternatives like "this is counterintuitive" or "this warrants further investigation" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "this seems surprising" functions as a comment or observation, expressing an assessment of a situation or statement as unexpected. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "this seems surprising" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase for expressing unexpectedness or mild astonishment. Ludwig AI indicates it is widely applicable across contexts such as news, science, and academia. While the phrase maintains a generally neutral tone, more formal alternatives are available to further emphasize the seriousness of the case, like "counterintuitive". When utilizing the phrase, ensure clarity by establishing clear context for the referent 'this'.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

this appears surprising

Uses "appears" instead of "seems", offering a slightly more formal tone.

this seems unexpected

Replaces "surprising" with "unexpected", focusing on the lack of anticipation.

this seems curious

Substitutes "surprising" with "curious", implying more interest or intrigue.

this is quite astonishing

Replaces "surprising" with "astonishing", indicating a higher degree of amazement.

this seems unlikely

Emphasizes the low probability of the situation.

this is counterintuitive

Highlights that the situation is not immediately logical or understandable.

this is rather remarkable

Uses "remarkable" instead of "surprising", highlighting the noteworthy nature of the situation.

this defies expectation

Implies that the situation goes against what was predicted or anticipated.

this is a shock

Expresses a stronger reaction of surprise, implying a sudden and impactful event.

it's odd that

A more informal way to express surprise, focusing on the strangeness of the situation.

FAQs

What does "this seems surprising" mean?

The phrase "this seems surprising" indicates that something is unexpected or contrary to what one might expect. It's a way of expressing mild astonishment or questioning an outcome or situation.

What can I say instead of "this seems surprising"?

You can use alternatives like "this appears surprising", "this seems unexpected", or "this is quite astonishing" depending on the context.

Is "this seems surprising" formal or informal?

The phrase "this seems surprising" is generally considered neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although more formal alternatives may be preferable in academic or professional writing.

How to use "this seems surprising" in a sentence?

You can use "this seems surprising" to introduce a statement that contradicts expectations. For example, "Despite the new policy, sales have decreased; this seems surprising given the anticipated increase in customer satisfaction."