sur-PREYE-zing-lee
/sɚˈpɹaɪzɪŋli/
surprisingly is pronounced sur-PREYE-zing-lee (/sɚˈpɹaɪzɪŋli/). Surprisingly is an adverb meaning in a way that causes surprise or is unexpected. It describes something that happens or is observed in a manner that exceeds expectations, eliciting astonishment. The term often modifies verbs or adjectives to convey an element of surprise in the surrounding situation or outcome.
Surprisingly is an adverb meaning in a way that causes surprise or is unexpected. It describes something that happens or is observed in a manner that exceeds expectations, eliciting astonishment. The term often modifies verbs or adjectives to convey an element of surprise in the surrounding situation or outcome.
- Over- or under-stressing the second syllable, leading to a clipped or overly elongated ‘PRI’. Aim for a clean /ˈpraɪ/ in the stressed syllable and a natural flow into /zɪŋ/. - Mushing /zɪŋ/ with /li/ into a single syllable, which flattens rhythm. Keep /zɪŋ/ as a distinct light syllable, then /li/. - Vowel quality drift in /praɪ/ where you lean toward /ɪ/ or /eɪ/; keep /aɪ/ as a crisp, centered diphthong rather than a prolonged monophthong. Practice by alternating with /praɪ/ in isolation and in words like 'pride' vs 'price' to anchor the diphthong. - Final consonant and syllable timing: the /li/ should be almost as light as a whisper; avoid a heavy, drawn-out ending. Use a short vowel and quick /l/ before a soft /i/. - In rapid speech, linking sounds can blur the /z/ and /ɪŋ/. Slow the onset of /z/ slightly and ensure /z/ remains voiced, then eject into /ɪŋ/ cleanly for a natural cadence.
"The test was surprisingly easy, given how much I studied."
"She arrived surprisingly early for the meeting, catching everyone off guard."
"The cake was surprisingly rich in flavor despite its simple ingredients."
Pronunciation: /sərˈpraɪ.zɪŋ.li/ (US) or /səˈpraɪ.zɪŋ.li/ (UK/AU). The key is stressing the second syllable: sur-PRY-zing-ly. Start with a schwa in the first syllable, then a strong /praɪ/ as in 'pry.' The -ing is a light /zɪŋ/ cluster, and the final -ly is /li/ with a clear syllable. Mouth position: produce a relaxed initial schwa, lift the tongue for /praɪ/ (high front diphthong /aɪ/), keep the /z/ voiceless or lightly voiced before /ɪŋ/ then finish with /li/. Audio reference: https://forvo.com/word/surprisingly/; practice by echoing native speech patterns for natural rhythm.
Common mistakes include underemphasizing the central /ˈpraɪ/ diphthong and misplacing stress on the first syllable (sur-) or splitting the word into ‘sur-pri-zing-ly’ with awkward pauses. Correction: keep primary stress on the second syllable: sur-PRI-zing-ly; ensure /praɪ/ is a smooth diphthong, not a pure /a/ or /ɪ/. Do not merge the -ing with -ly into a single syllable; keep /zɪŋ/ and /li/ as distinct light syllables. Practice with minimal pairs and record yourself to confirm the rhythm.
US: /sərˈpraɪ.zɪŋ.li/ with a rhotic r in the initial syllable; UK/AU: /səˈpraɪ.zɪŋ.li/ with a non-rhotic r and slightly tighter /ɪ/ in the second syllable. Vowel quality: US tends to a more open /ɪ/ in -ing; UK/AU may have a shorter, clipped final -ly and a slightly firmer /ɪ/. The surrounding consonants are consistent, but rhythm can be brisk in casual speech in all variants. Practice by listening to news or talks in each variant on YouGlish or Cambridge audio to hear subtle differences.
The challenge lies in the multi-syllabic stress pattern and the smooth linking of /praɪ/ with the following /zɪŋ/ and the final /li/. The diphthong /aɪ/ in the stressed syllable must be crisp, not reduced; the /z/ must flow into /ɪŋ/ without intrusive vowels; and the ending /li/ should be light and quick, not swallowed. Mastery requires rhythmic control, precise vowelQUALITY, and consistent voicing across the cluster.
Yes—the word conveys a twist in expectation, so speakers often place extra emphasis on the second syllable to signal the surprise element: sur-PRI-zing-ly. This emphasis helps listeners anticipate the contrast introduced by the adverb. Ensure the secondary syllable carries the main pitch movement while the final -ly remains light. The nuance must be reflected in both tempo and intonation for natural delivery.
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- US:(accent) rhotic initial /sər/ with a strong /ɚ/ in the first syllable; /ˈpraɪ/ carries the main stress; final /li/ remains light. Vowel quality often more open; keep /ɜr/ reduced to schwa in careful speech. - UK: non-rhotic linking of /sə/; /ˈpraɪ/ stable; /zɪŋ.li/ with clipped final syllable; vowel in -ing may be shorter; watch vowel length in British RP. - AU: similar to UK but with slightly broader vowels; non-rhotic; /praɪ/ diphthong may be slightly longer; maintain rhythm for natural Australian prosody. IPA references: /sərˈpraɪ.zɪŋ.li/ (US), /səˈpraɪ.zɪŋ.li/ (UK/AU).
Surprisingly comes from the root word surprise, derived from Old French esperer? Not exactly. The etymology traces to the noun surprise, from Old French desprise (literally ‘a taking away’ or ‘startled’), and to surprise in English by the 15th century meaning ‘an unexpected event.’ The adverbial -ly suffix is a common English modifier forming adverbs from adjectives or nouns with root surprise + -ly. The sense evolved to describe actions or events marked by surprise, and by the 17th–18th centuries became standard in academic and colloquial use. The combination of surprise + -ing suffix to form -ingly yields surprisingly to describe manner, degree, or extent of surprise in the described situation. First known use as an adverb likely appears in early modern English texts referencing unexpected outcomes, with increasing frequency in narrative prose and later journalism. Over time, surprisingly stabilized as a neutral to mildly emphatic adverb, suitable in both informal and formal writing depending on context. In contemporary use, it often indicates an unexpected positive or negative degree, without predicting the outcome, and remains a versatile connector of surprise to description.
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Words that rhyme with "surprisingly"
--ly sounds
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