surprisingly

Surprisingly is an adverb formed from the adjective surprising. It indicates that something is unexpected or exceeds what was anticipated, and it can modify a verb, an adjective, or an entire clause. The usage is primarily evaluative, signaling that the outcome was not predicted or fell outside common expectations.

The word derives from the noun surprise, with the English affix -ly creating the adverb. The related adjective surprising describes something that provokes surprise, and surprisingly describes the degree to which that surprise is felt or observed.

Usage patterns are common in both written and spoken English. It can precede the element it modifies: "The results were surprisingly accurate," or appear sentence-initially for emphasis: "Surprisingly, the team won." It can also modify phrases: "surprisingly quickly" or "surprisingly well."

Nuance and comparison: Surprising and surprisingly may signal a milder or more neutral assessment than synonyms such as astonishing or remarkable. The choice depends on the desired tone; surprisingly often implies that the outcome was unexpected but not necessarily extraordinary. In reporting and analysis, it is used to convey surprise without asserting a value judgment.

See also: surprise, surprising.