surprisingly

[ ser-prahy-zing-lee, suh- ]

adverb

1. in a way that causes a feeling of wonder or astonishment:

   The artist creates works that are both approachable and surprisingly sophisticated.

2. in a way that is seen as unlikely or unexpected:

   Despite its geographic isolation and small population, Reykjavik is surprisingly cosmopolitan.

   The phone has an impressive array of features, and yet is surprisingly affordable.

Other Word Forms

• un·sur·pris·ing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of surprisingly¹

surprising ( def ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Except the Lakers surprisingly didn’t milk it, and actually enabled it when relatively few people were watching.

From Los Angeles Times

"But surprisingly, no study has looked at the specific impact of cold water immersion on PTSD."

From BBC

Both “Sweet Dreams” and “Mona Lisa” were surprisingly played on tour, and a third single is planned for the Asian leg, which kicks off in the Phillipines on April 12.

From Los Angeles Times

When he did arrive, they found he was a surprisingly good improviser.

From Los Angeles Times

Indeed, despite not returning to full strength until around the turn of the New Year, May showed up to spring training in surprisingly impressive shape.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• absolutely
• awfully
• certainly
• decidedly
• deeply
• eminently
• exceedingly
• excessively
• extraordinarily
• extremely
• greatly
• highly
• incredibly
• noticeably
• particularly
• pretty
• profoundly
• remarkably
• terribly
• truly