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Surprising vs Surprisal - What's the difference?

surprising | surprisal |

As nouns the difference between surprising and surprisal

is that surprising is the action of the verb to surprise while surprisal is (obsolete|military) a surprise attack or ambush; a sudden or unexpected assault.

As a verb surprising

is .

As an adjective surprising

is that is or are a surprise.

surprising

English

Verb

(head)

    • Noun

    (s)
  • The action of the verb to surprise .

    • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • That is or are a surprise.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=November 3, author=David Ornstein, work=BBC Sport
    • , title= Macc Tel-Aviv 1-2 Stoke , passage=With this the second of three games in seven days for Stoke, it was hardly surprising to see nine changes from the side that started against Newcastle in the Premier League on Monday.}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-06, volume=408, issue=8843, page=68, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= The rise of smart beta , passage=Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government-bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is hardly surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return.}}

    Synonyms

    * astonishing, unexpected See

    surprisal

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete, military) A surprise attack or ambush; a sudden or unexpected assault.
  • *1624 , John Smith, Generall Historie , in Kupperman 1988, p. 146:
  • *:Their chiefe attempts are by Stratagems, trecheries, or surprisals .
  • (obsolete) A sudden coming-upon someone or something unexpectedly or unawares.
    • How to secure the lady from surprisal . — Milton.
    Because death is uncertain, let us prevent its surprisal . — Barrow.
  • (obsolete) A surprising event or occurrence.
  • (obsolete) The feeling caused by being surprised; surprise, shock, amazement.