"Surprising" vs. "unanticipated": words that catch us off guard

Reviewed and edited by

Lloyd Cooper 13/05/2025, 06:35

English.me team member

Surprising and unanticipated. What's the difference?

What is similar?

Both words describe something that was not expected or foreseen; they convey the idea of something happening outside of what was considered likely.

What is different?

Surprising often emphasizes the emotional reaction (such as shock or astonishment), while unanticipated focuses more on the absence of prior expectation or planning, often in a more neutral or formal tone.

Which one is more common?

Examples of usage

Surprising

The magician's trick had a truly surprising ending.
It was surprising to see snow in April.
Her surprising recovery amazed the doctors.

Unanticipated

The storm caused unanticipated delays to the construction project.
They faced several unanticipated problems during the experiment.
An unanticipated guest arrived at the party last night.