as in surprising
causing a strong emotional reaction because of unexpectedness
the last-minute blindsiding allegations that almost derailed the candidate's campaign
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blindsiding
Adjective
-
Close to Rocky Mountain National Park, this all-inclusive guest ranch has everything from classic ranch activities like trail rides to surprising options such as a ropes course and zip line.—
Julie Bielenberg,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026 -
The breakout at the plate isn’t all that surprising.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
There’s a lot of disconcerting news about AI in journalism lately.—
Theresa Gaffney,
STAT,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The news is disconcerting for nearby residents like Moody.—
Olivia Young,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Despite being debunked time and time again, a startling proportion of the public still hold onto these claims.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
1 Apr. 2026
-
There's a startling new plastic surgery trend.—
Will Richmond,
The Providence Journal,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Returning to the United States was jarring.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The optics of the robot in the middle of an event aimed at fostering children’s education were jarring.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Marin stuck to her plan of staying close until a moment that changed everything with shocking swiftness — her changing her mind and going for the green on the par-5 13th for a go-ahead birdie, and Talley adding to the sad history of collapses on the back nine at the home of the Masters.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Emma’s shocking admission rattles the entire wedding party, particularly Haim’s Rachel, whose cousin was left paralyzed by an act of gun violence.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
There aren’t many ways to earn a club’s first win better than bewildering the league’s defending champions at their place.—
Braidon Nourse,
Denver Post,
26 Mar. 2026
-
McNutt housed some 700 kids — about one-third of the population of French Lick — and Bird found the campus outside the dormitory walls bewildering.—
Keith O'Brien,
Rolling Stone,
22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
On the other hand, your own feelings (pleasant or otherwise) could inspire amazing artwork.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Crew has an amazing sight in store Four days later during the lunar flyby, the moon will appear to be the size of a basketball held at arm’s length.—
Marcia Dunn,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Shares are erasing some of those two-day losses on Monday, but our overarching point about the befuddling post-earnings market reaction holds true.—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Desire Doue let the ball run through his legs, befuddling his marker to such a degree that the only sensible reaction was laughter.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Blindsiding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blindsiding. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
