WordGarden.iosurprisingly
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /səprˈaɪzɪŋli/
US
- /səˈpraɪzɪŋli/
Meanings
Adverb
to a surprising degree; unexpectedly very
in a way that causes surprise; unexpectedly
Beyond the definition
"Surprisingly" tells us that something happened in a way we did not expect. It points to a gap between what we thought would happen and what actually happened. Imagine a cloudy day when you are sure it will rain, but the sun comes out instead. That feels surprising. Or picture a very quiet friend suddenly becoming the funniest person in the room.
We often use it to introduce a result that goes against our expectations. You might say, "Surprisingly, the movie was really good," if you expected it to be bad. It works like saying "this may surprise you," but in a shorter way. It is an adverb, so it describes how something happened or how we should understand the result.
"Surprisingly" is an adverb that shows something happened in a way that was not expected. It is close in meaning to "unexpectedly," but it often puts a little more focus on the contrast between what seemed likely and what actually happened.
Think of it as a small signal that says, "This was not the result people were expecting." For example: "Surprisingly, despite the heavy traffic, we arrived on time." The point is not only that we arrived on time, but that being on time seemed unlikely in that situation.
"Surprisingly" can also introduce a fact that seems to go against common beliefs. For example: "Surprisingly, studies show that dark chocolate is good for your heart." This suggests that the fact may challenge what many people assume about sweets and health.
It does not necessarily mean the result is good or bad. It only means the result was not predicted. A surprisingly low test score is just as natural as a surprisingly high one.
You can also use "surprisingly" to describe someone's behavior: "He was surprisingly calm during the crisis." This suggests that he is not usually calm in that kind of moment, so his behavior stood out. In general, we use "surprisingly" when something unfolds in a way that makes us pause and notice that reality turned out differently from what we expected.
Examples
- 1
Humor
The movie was surprisingly funny.
- 2
Technology
The old laptop still works surprisingly well.
- 3
Instructions
The instructions were surprisingly easy to follow.
- 4
Small number
Surprisingly few people asked any questions.
- Phrasesurprisingly few
fewer than expected
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Schedule
We finished the meeting surprisingly early.
- 6
Complaints
Surprisingly, no one complained about the long wait.
- 7
Expected result
Not surprisingly, sales went up after the price drop.
- Phrasenot surprisingly
as you would expect
See also
Similar
- unexpectedly
- to one's surprise
- astonishingly
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- surprisingly good
- surprisingly enough
- not surprisingly
- perhaps surprisingly
Word family
Explore
- expectation
- counterexpectation
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- surprisinglyadverb