surprisenoun
uk/səˈpraɪz/us/sɚˈpraɪz/surprise noun (EVENT)
A2 [ C ] an unexpected event:
Don't tell Anne we've arranged a party for her - I want it to be a surprise.
It was a wonderful/nasty surprise to get home and find the letter.
Last night's heavy snow came as a complete surprise.
You're always full of surprises (= doing unexpected things).
I wish you wouldn't keep springing surprises on me (= telling me unexpected things or causing unexpected things to happen).
They mounted a surprise attack at dawn.
My uncle paid us a surprise visit yesterday.
Compare
shock noun
More examples
- Close your eyes - I've got a surprise for you.
- I tried to conceal my surprise when she told me her age.
- Her confession was no surprise to him, - just the confirmation of a long-held suspicion.
- The dizzying pace of political change in the country caught many people by surprise.
- The people showed no surprise or anger at their treatment.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Surprising and shocking
- a blinding flash idiom
- a bolt from/out of the blue idiom
- amaze
- amazing
- astonish
- bolt
- breath
- dynamite
- earth-shattering
- expectation
- eye-opener
- faze
- revelation
- spring sth on sb
- staggering
- startle
- startling
- sting
- stunning
- thunderbolt
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Feelings of surprise and amazement
surprise noun (FEELING)
B2 [ U ] the feeling caused by something unexpected happening:
He looked at her in/with surprise.
To my great surprise, they agreed to all our demands.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Feelings of surprise and amazement
- amazement
- astonishment
- bewilderment
- incredulous
- shock
- stupefy
- wonder
- wonderment
Idiom(s)
surprise, surprise
surpriseverb [ T ]
uk/səˈpraɪz/us/sɚˈpraɪz/B1 to make someone feel surprise:
The news surprised everyone.
[ + that ] It doesn't surprise me that their parents don't want them to get married.
[ + to infinitive ] It will not surprise anyone to learn that the offer has been rejected.
[ + question word ] Janet was surprised how quickly the time passed.
to find, catch, or attack someone when they are not expecting it:
The robbers had just opened the safe when they were surprised by the police.
[ + -ing verb ] His mother surprised him helping himself to her gin.
More examples
- It won't surprise you to learn that she has left the company.
- They surprised their father by cleaning the house from top to bottom.
- Their generosity surprised me.
- It often surprises people that we don't charge money for our service.
- I wanted to surprise my parents, so I turned up with my hair dyed black.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Surprising and shocking
- a blinding flash idiom
- a bolt from/out of the blue idiom
- amaze
- amazing
- astonish
- bolt
- breath
- dynamite
- earth-shattering
- expectation
- eye-opener
- faze
- revelation
- spring sth on sb
- staggering
- startle
- startling
- sting
- stunning
- thunderbolt
See more results »