surprising
word · lemma: surprise
/səˈpɹaɪzɪŋ/
sur-PRY-zing
/səpɹˈaɪzɪŋ/
sur-PRY-zing
Definition
Something surprising makes you feel surprise because you did not expect it. It can be used for events, news, results, or facts that are unusual or unexpected.
Usage & Nuances
Common and neutral in everyday English. Often followed by nouns like 'news', 'result', 'fact', or 'amount'. 'Surprised' describes how a person feels; 'surprising' describes the thing that causes that feeling.
Spanish: sorprendente - inesperadoPortuguese (BR): surpreendente - inesperadoPortuguese (PT): surpreendente - inesperadoChinese (Simplified): 令人惊讶的 - 出人意料的Chinese (Traditional): 令人驚訝的 - 出人意料的Hindi: चौंकाने वाला - अप्रत्याशितArabic: مفاجئ - غير متوقعBengali: আশ্চর্যজনক - অবাক করাRussian: удивительный - неожиданныйJapanese: 驚くべき - 意外なVietnamese: đáng ngạc nhiên - bất ngờKorean: 놀라운Turkish: şaşırtıcıUrdu: حیران کن - چونکانے والاIndonesian: mengejutkan
Example Sentences
It is surprising to see snow in April.
basic
She gave a surprising answer.
basic
The test result was surprising.
basic
What’s really surprising is how calm he stayed the whole time.
natural
It’s surprising how quickly kids pick up a new language.
natural
Honestly, after that long silence, your message was pretty surprising.
natural