unsurprising

adjective

un·​sur·​pris·​ing ˌən-sər-ˈprī-ziŋ How to pronounce unsurprising (audio)
ˌən-sə-
Synonyms of unsurprisingnext
: not surprising or unexpected
… the unsurprising result of carefully hatched plans …—David von Drehle

Examples of unsurprising in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The latest weakening of criteria is baffling if not unsurprising given the agency’s pitifully weak, unserious leadership. — Diana Urban, Hartford Courant, 27 Oct. 2026 This brought a round of applause, unsurprising in a room filled with indie creatives who believe that AI is both threatening their jobs and lowering the quality of art. — William Earl, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026 As Russia sees it, the new American assertiveness in Venezuela, Cuba, and the Caribbean is unsurprising. — Dmitry Adamsky, Foreign Affairs, 21 Oct. 2026 Some of the best producers in the world are working there, and unsurprising, distinctive shows are emerging, but it is still often seen as a production location. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unsurprising

Word History

First Known Use

1671, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unsurprising was in 1671

Rhymes for unsurprising

See All Rhymes for unsurprising

Browse Nearby Words

unsurprised
unsurprising
unsurprisingly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unsurprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsurprising. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on unsurprising

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for unsurprising

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Pyrrhic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All