How to pronounce surprising
Say it like ser-PRY-zing. Surprising has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PRY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce surprising. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ser
- PRY
- zing
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Surprising pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- serKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- PRYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- zingKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of surprising
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: suh-PRY-zing.
What does surprising mean?
- causing surprise or wonder or amazement“the report shows a surprising lack of hard factual data”“leaped up with surprising agility”
Where does surprising come from?
From surprise + -ing.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with surprising
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of surprising.
Questions about saying surprising
How do you pronounce surprising?
Say ser-PRY-zing. The American pronunciation is /sɚˈpraɪzɪŋ/. In British English it is /səˈpraɪzɪŋ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in surprising?
Surprising has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PRY). Broken into parts: ser · PRY · zing.
Is surprising pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /səˈpraɪzɪŋ/ (suh-PRY-zing).