spring a surprise

phrase

: to do, ask, or say something that is not expected
Everyone knows she's not likely to spring a surprise.
The teacher sprang a surprise on us and gave a quiz.

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Cite this Entry

“Spring a surprise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spring%20a%20surprise. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.

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