Surprising and Startling

Surprising

Surprising adjective - Causing a strong emotional reaction because of unexpectedness.
Usage example: the surprising news that they were going to have a baby had them rushing to buy nursery furniture

Startling is a synonym for surprising in astonishing topic. In some cases you can use "Startling" instead an adjective "Surprising", when it comes to topics like unexpected, amazing. popular alternative

Nearby Words: surprise, surprisingly, surprised, surprizing

Startling

Startling adjective - Causing a strong emotional reaction because of unexpectedness.
Usage example: the startling news that my sister will be having a baby

Surprising is a synonym for startling in frightful topic. You can use "Surprising" instead an adjective "Startling", if it concerns topics such as amazing. popular alternative

Nearby Words: startle, startled, startler
Cite this Source
Startling and Surprising. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 18, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/surprising/startling
Surprising & Startling. N.p., 2016. Web. 18 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/surprising/startling>.
Startling or Surprising. 2016. Accessed August 18, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/surprising/startling.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "surprising" and "startling" have occurred on timeline