► surprisingvery unusual or happening in a way or at a time that you did not expect:  Teresa had some surprising news. Our findings were somewhat surprising.
► unexpected surprising and happening in a way that you did not expect:  Her victory was unexpected – everyone thought her opponent would win.
► extraordinary very unusual and surprising:  He spends an extraordinary amount of money on clothes.
► unbelievable so surprising that you can hardly believe it:  The change in her was unbelievable.
► amazing very surprising or unexpected, and sometimes difficult to believe:  It’s amazing how fast some animals can run.
► astonishing very surprising, and often difficult to believe:  The population of the world is growing at an astonishing rate.
► astounding very surprising, and almost impossible to believe:  The astounding success of her second novel has made her very wealthy.
► shocking surprising and upsetting:  It is shocking that a policeman would lie to the public.
► stunning very surprising and shocking:  In a stunning announcement, the senator said he was retiring.
► staggering very surprising and shocking, especially because something is so large:  The company gave the executives a staggering amount of money in bonuses.
► startling very sudden and surprising:  Webber’s startling confession surprised even his wife.