surprise

²surprise

verb

sur·prised also sur·prizedsur·pris·ing also sur·priz·ing

Definition of SURPRISE

transitive verb

1

: to attack unexpectedly; also : to capture by an unexpected attack

2

a : to take unawares <police surprised the burglars in the store> b : to detect or elicit by a taking unawares <sometimes surprised a tragic shadow in her eyes — Willa Cather>

3

: to strike with wonder or amazement especially because unexpected <his conduct surprised me>

intransitive verb

: to cause astonishment or surprise <her success didn't surprise>

— sur·pris·er noun

Variants of SURPRISE

surprise also surprize

Examples of SURPRISE

1. The results will surprise you.
2. Nothing you could say would surprise me.
3. They surprised everyone by moving to the Bahamas.
4. A police officer surprised the burglars.
5. The troops were surprised by an attack from the north.

First Known Use of SURPRISE

15th century

Related to SURPRISE

Synonyms: amaze, astonish, astound, bowl over, dumbfound (also dumfound), flabbergast, floor, rock, shock, startle, stun, stupefy, thunderstrike, knock for a loop, take aback, take by surprise

Related Words: befuddle, bewilder, blindside, blow away, confound, confuse, daze, discomfit, disconcert, dismay, jar, muddle, nonplus, perplex, shake up

see all synonyms and antonyms

[+]more[-]hide

Synonym Discussion of SURPRISE

surprise, astonish, astound, amaze, flabbergast mean to impress forcibly through unexpectedness. surprise stresses causing an effect through being unexpected but not necessarily unusual or novel <surprised to find them at home>. astonish implies surprising so greatly as to seem incredible <a discovery that astonished the world>. astound stresses the shock of astonishment <too astounded to respond>. amaze suggests an effect of bewilderment <amazed by the immense size of the place>. flabbergast may suggest thorough astonishment and bewilderment or dismay <flabbergasted by his angry refusal>.