unsurprising

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "unsurprising" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is expected or not surprising given the circumstances. Example: "The results of the experiment were unsurprising, as we had anticipated this outcome based on previous studies."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

That so many local papers have recently reported school redundancy consultations is bleak, but unsurprising.

The Guardian

Newman seems older than 23, unsurprising given his turbulent upbringing and what he describes as his "stubborn" character.

The Guardian - Music

Sad our actors go west, but unsurprising.

The Guardian

These figures are unsurprising.

The Guardian

The election is forecast both to be close, and to feature a large number of non-white voters, with whom Mr Romney is struggling.A recent Pew Research Centre poll shows Mr Obama enjoys a handy 93-point lead over Mr Romney among black voters, which is unsurprising.

The Economist

That the nation could even consider a strict language requirement for its president underscores the vigour of the language, but the continued popularity of Mr Deschene hints that many Navajos don't see language as an indispensable carrier of their culture anymore.That Navajo leaders are digging in their heels is unsurprising.

The Economist

Some volunteers at polling stations were reportedly just as flustered as everyone else.Such complaints are unsurprising.

The Economist

That his teacher does not look perturbed is unsurprising.

The Economist

Squeezed as Jordan is between the fires of the Palestinian intifada (uprising) and unrest in Iraq (where al-Qaeda's leader is said to be a Jordanian, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi), popular fury over the Jordanian government's close ties to America is unsurprising.

The Economist

This makes it easy to see that biology sources are most heavily cited, which is unsurprising.

The Economist

This is unsurprising.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "unsurprising" to convey that an outcome or event was anticipated or predictable based on the given circumstances, maintaining a neutral tone.

Common error

While "unsurprising" is generally acceptable, consider using more nuanced alternatives like "predictable" or "expected" in formal writing to add variety and precision.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "unsurprising" is as an adjective. It modifies a noun to describe something that does not cause surprise because it was anticipated or expected. Ludwig examples confirm its adjectival use, clarifying that the word commonly describes something that is predictable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

98%

Formal & Business

1%

Science

1%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "unsurprising" functions as an adjective to denote a lack of surprise due to anticipation or predictability. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage, particularly within news and media contexts. While versatile, it's advisable to consider context-specific synonyms such as "predictable" or "expected" for enhanced precision. Its prevalence in authoritative sources like The Guardian and The Economist underscores its reliability, positioning it as a standard choice for expressing anticipated outcomes in various scenarios.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

predictable

Focuses on the predictability aspect, implying something was easily foreseen.

expected

Highlights anticipation, suggesting the outcome aligned with prior expectations.

not unexpected

Uses a double negative to express the lack of surprise, providing a slightly more formal tone.

foreseeable

Emphasizes the ability to see the outcome in advance, highlighting predictability.

anticipated

Indicates advance knowledge and expectation of an event or result.

as expected

Conveys that something happened in accordance with what was predicted.

hardly surprising

Emphasizes the lack of surprise, suggesting the outcome was quite obvious.

inevitable

Suggests that the outcome was unavoidable and bound to happen.

to be expected

Implies that the result was normal or typical under the circumstances.

no surprise

A concise way to state the lack of astonishment at an event.

FAQs

What does "unsurprising" mean?

"Unsurprising" means not causing surprise; "expected" or predictable.

How can I use "unsurprising" in a sentence?

You can use "unsurprising" to describe outcomes or events that are not surprising because they were anticipated. For example: "It was "unsurprising" that the team won, given their track record."

What are some alternatives to "unsurprising"?

Alternatives to "unsurprising" include "predictable", "expected", or "foreseeable", depending on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "not surprising" instead of "unsurprising"?

Yes, "not surprising" is grammatically correct and conveys a similar meaning to "unsurprising". However, "unsurprising" can sometimes be more concise and direct.