surprise 1 of 2

variants also surprize
1
as in shock
something that makes a strong impression because it is so unexpected the anniversary party was such a complete surprise that the couple was speechless for a moment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in amazement
the state of being strongly impressed by something unexpected or unusual stared in utter surprise at the deer in his cabin

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in ambush
a setup in which hidden attackers lie in wait waited under cover of darkness and took the enemy encampment by surprise at dawn

Synonyms & Similar Words

surprise

2 of 2

verb

variants also surprize

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb surprise contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of surprise are amaze, astonish, astound, and flabbergast. While all these words 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

Where would amaze be a reasonable alternative to surprise?

The meanings of amaze and surprise largely overlap; however, amaze suggests an effect of bewilderment.

amazed by the immense size of the place

When is it sensible to use astonish instead of surprise?

While the synonyms astonish and surprise are close in meaning, astonish implies surprising so greatly as to seem incredible.

a discovery that astonished the world

When is astound a more appropriate choice than surprise?

The words astound and surprise are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, astound stresses the shock of astonishment.

too astounded to respond

When might flabbergast be a better fit than surprise?

In some situations, the words flabbergast and surprise are roughly equivalent. However, flabbergast may suggest thorough astonishment and bewilderment or dismay.

flabbergasted by his angry refusal

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of surprise
Noun
However, when Dawkins walked into the Longhorns’ gym at 7:15 a.m., well in advance of the team’s early morning practice time, Johnson caught Dawkins by surprise. Josh Robbins, New York Times, 9 July 2025 Chick-fil-A Dave’s Hot Chicken Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers Shake Shack Popeye’s Louisiana Chicken Habit Burger and Grill Denny’s Wingstop McDonald’s Zaxby’s Some of the chains on the top 10 may not come as much of a surprise to families. Clea Haran, Parents, 8 July 2025
Verb
What may surprise bank and credit union executives is the scale and demographic breadth of the deposit outflow. Ron Shevlin, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025 Pro-Shah forces came out in droves, surprising the CIA. Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 9 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for surprise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surprise
Noun
  • This good news probably comes as a shock to the average American consumer, and certainly to the average Democrat, who earlier this year thought Trump would usher in America’s Dark Ages.
    E.J. Antoni, Boston Herald, 13 July 2025
  • With no traditional risk factors and a dentist who initially dismissed her concerns, the news came as a shock.
    Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 13 July 2025
Noun
  • The proud dad shared an adorable new photo with their little one on Instagram Wednesday, July 3 On Wednesday, July 2, Irwin's husband, Chandler Powell, 28, shared an adorable Instagram photo of Grace Warrior Irwin Powell staring in amazement at a rainbow.
    Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 4 July 2025
  • Others shared their amazement at the animals captured on the video.
    Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
Noun
  • Waiting in ambush uses power, and the drone’s battery will have been running down.
    David Hambling, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
  • Authorities also confirmed the identity of the suspect in the firefighter ambush.
    Jade Walker, CNN Money, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • This creator, in the true sense of the word, adds a touch here and there, drapes or lets fall the folds of a cape or a huge collar, borrows from all the epochs of fashion and interprets them all, and in the sum total, never fails to amaze us with his exquisite audacity.
    Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 7 July 2025
  • The Teton Range, covered in powder, amazes as far as the eye can see.
    DeMarco Williams, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • The hitting coach pointed to Volpe’s weight shift in his back legs being out of sync, which leads to pitchers being able to attack him on breaking and off-speed pitches.
    Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 10 July 2025
  • In fact, as soon as Israel attacked Iran so many Israelis tried to leave the country that Tel Aviv forbade its own citizens from leaving the country.
    Ron Paul, Oc Register, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • Jude Bellingham trotted over in his flip-flops in astonishment to congratulate Courtois before the two embraced, but no one was more pleased to see his goalkeeper come to the rescue than Alonso, who was asked what was going through his mind as Sabitzer’s effort headed towards goal.
    Mark Carey, New York Times, 6 July 2025
  • Johansson even joked in her musical monologue that castmember Sarah Sherman was leaving, to Sherman's mock astonishment.
    Eric Deggans, NPR, 18 May 2025
Verb
  • The Princess of Wales also stunned in a gold cape dress for the No Time to Die James Bond premiere in 2021 and for a 2023 State Visit by the South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
    Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 July 2025
  • Meta Platforms, under the leadership of CEO Mark Zuckerberg, has ignited a fierce battle for artificial intelligence (AI) talent, offering compensation packages that have stunned Silicon Valley and the global tech industry.
    Ashley Lutz, Fortune, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • Many dogs and other pets were startled by the noise and ran away, shelter officials said, and good Samaritans found them and brought them to shelters.
    Marcus D. Smith July 7, Sacbee.com, 7 July 2025
  • On June 2, the heart of Sicily—Mount Etna—experienced a volcanic eruption that startled tourists, summoned emergency alerts, and shot lava and ash high into the sky.
    Erica Firpo, AFAR Media, 4 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Surprise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surprise. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on surprise

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!