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 astonishment
the state of being strongly impressed by something unexpected or unusual
stared in utter surprise at the deer in his cabin
Synonyms & Similar Words
variants
also surprize
1
as in to amaze
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected
I was very surprised when my parents offered to pay the down payment on our house
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to ambush
to lie in wait for and attack by surprise
FBI agents surprised the counterfeiters in their own base of operations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of surprise
Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 10 May 2026
Guests are encouraged to leave their preferences at the door and lean into the surprise menu (priced at about $570, or 420 pounds per person).
—Rachel Ingram, Robb Report, 10 May 2026
Glen Weldon, NPR, 10 May 2026
Simpson was back in Los Angeles for the first time since April 24, the day after the seemingly Super Bowl-ready Rams surprised many by passing up the opportunity to select a receiver to choose an Alabama quarterback with only 15 starts.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for surprise
Noun
Our trip here was a surprise, thanks to travel agency Journee, which asks vacationers to fill out a questionnaire and then matches them with an itinerary.
—Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 10 May 2026
Guests are encouraged to leave their preferences at the door and lean into the surprise menu (priced at about $570, or 420 pounds per person).
—Rachel Ingram, Robb Report, 10 May 2026
Verb
My affinity for the character didn't exactly surprise me.
—Glen Weldon, NPR, 10 May 2026
Simpson was back in Los Angeles for the first time since April 24, the day after the seemingly Super Bowl-ready Rams surprised many by passing up the opportunity to select a receiver to choose an Alabama quarterback with only 15 starts.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for surprise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surprise
Noun
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Retail’s hiring surge reflects growing optimism that consumers will keep spending in the face of economic shocks, Stahle said.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
10 May 2026
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Strains of hantavirus can result in hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, characterized by fever, gastrointestinal symptoms, rapid progression to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome and shock, like in individuals on the MV Hondius cruise ship, according to the World Health Organization.—
Allison Kiehl,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
During her Nobel Lecture, Kang repeatedly appeals to language as a means to kinsmanship, describing her feelings of astonishment at its capacity to transmit her interiority to her readers.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 May 2026
-
Whispers ripple in astonishment, and nods of approval are seen throughout the audience.—
Zoe Bahjat,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The home design star and pop singer returns to HGTV to host and lead the new home series Crashers, a revival of the network's ambush-style renovation franchise that originally aired from 2008 to 2011, PEOPLE can exclusively reveal.—
Sonal Dutt,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
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Police here have arrested five suspects, including three Bay Area residents, in an ambush shooting that killed an 18-year-old woman outside a party.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
I'mPhaedra Trethan, amazed at these quick-thinking kids.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Even so, the precise observations captured by these telescopes never cease to amaze me.—
Olivia Harper Wilkins,
The Conversation,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In fact, the Sixers will be better equipped to attack this Knicks flaw if Embiid can return at any point in the series.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
7 May 2026
-
In one of the evening’s most striking moments, Raman accused Bass and Pratt of working together to attack her.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Noun
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Damon did all that and helped start the show off with an extra jolt of energy by returning as Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in the cold open, along with last week’s ringer, Aziz Ansari, as FBI Director Kash Patel.—
Omar L. Gallaga,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
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But each of those Eastern Conference rebuilds does not figure to receive an immediate jolt up the standings with one more lottery pick.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
9 May 2026
Noun
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Yes, YouTube has become the de facto home for it, but TV channels are now buyers, as are platforms like SiriusXM and, much to the amazement of some, Netflix too (hello, Brian Williams).—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2026
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Much to my amazement, I got hired to do a new play and got a couple of small roles on some sitcoms.—
Martha L. Thompson,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Days after the shooting stunned Shreveport, a whirlwind of police lights, camera crews and grieving relatives swarmed the neighborhood where the killings unfolded, the streets vibrating with sirens, the air shrouded in questions and disbelief.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
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The following year, a judge sentenced her to 10 years in prison on possession and drug trafficking charges – a ruling that stunned her family.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Surprise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surprise. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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