# surprisingly

/səˈpɹaɪzɪŋɫi/ (US) · /səpɹˈaɪzɪŋli/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Adverb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/surprisingly
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Definition

used to say that something is unexpected or different from what you thought. You use it to show that a fact is a bit of a shock.

For teachers: in a manner that causes astonishment or wonder because it is unexpected. Often functions as a disjunct to express the speaker's attitude toward the following statement.

## Examples

- The exam was surprisingly easy.
- Surprisingly, the small restaurant was completely full on a Tuesday night.
- The results of the study were surprisingly consistent across different age groups, despite the researchers' initial hypothesis that older participants would respond more conservatively.

## Pitfalls

- Not "It was a surprisingly movie." but "It was a surprisingly good movie." — As an adverb, it must modify an adjective, verb, or another adverb, rather than a noun directly.

## Usage notes

- When modifying an entire sentence, it usually appears at the beginning followed by a comma; otherwise, it sits immediately before the adjective or adverb it modifies.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.