Word family noun surprise adjective surprised surprising ≠ unsurprising verb surprise adverb surprisingly ≠ unsurprisingly
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsurprisingsur‧pris‧ing /səˈpraɪzɪŋ $ sər-/ ●●● S3 W3 adjective SURPRISEDunusual or unexpected She told me a surprising thing. A surprising number of his paintings have survived.it is surprising (that) It is not surprising that most parents experience occasional difficulties.it is surprising how/what etc It’s surprising how quickly you get used to things. It is hardly surprising that new mothers often suffer from depression.THESAURUSsurprising making you feel surprisedIt’s surprising how quickly you get used to it.We got some very surprising results.astonishing/astounding very surprising. Astounding sounds a little more formal and a little stronger than astonishingThe results of the tests were astounding.Things are changing at an astonishing speed.extraordinary very unusual and surprisingIt is extraordinary that such a young boy should be so good at maths. amazing very surprising – used especially about good or impressive thingsan amazing achievementIt’s amazing what you can do when you really try.staggering very surprising, especially by being so largeThe project cost a staggering $8 million.unbelievable (also incredible) so surprising that you can hardly believe itIt is unbelievable that she is only the same age as me.The incredible thing is that he thinks he is ugly. Examples from the Corpus
surprising• Which, given the way Wally rambles on, is scarcely surprising.• Some of the conclusions in the report were quite surprising.• It is a particularly surprising conclusion for so reductionist a subject as physics.• And it was surprising how frequently they found it necessary to motor down to Edmonton or Calgary.• Liddy really didn't want to change school, but it was surprising how quickly she got used to the new one.• This is surprising in view of the fact that over a longer term measurements can vary by much more than this.• There are a surprising number of taxis for such a small city.• A surprising number of teenagers leave school without being able to read and write.• Whether it also explains the equally surprising surge in menswear demand is less clear.• It wasn't surprising that her path and Guido's hadn't crossed.• Wasn't it surprising that so few people came to the party?• Even more surprising there are no stars: a deficiency which today usually condemns a climb to total obscurity.• In such a small town it was surprising to find so many really good restaurants.hardly surprising• If such a three-pronged assault on the ailing Soviet economy has a familiar ring to it, that is hardly surprising.• It is hardly surprising that, after what he had witnessed, he should set about some slaughter of his own.• These distortions are the very essence of prejudice, and it is hardly surprising that conflict with Peter had arisen.• Given the ferocious imagination of his subconscious, it's hardly surprising that his celluloid output is laced with lethal barbed wire.• Given such an approach it is hardly surprising that relations between pacifist and Communist opponents of the war during 1939-40 proved difficult.• And it is hardly surprising that she did not think of tongue speaking as a possible exception.• Under these circumstances it was hardly surprising that the police adopted a laissez-faire policy. 