Surprise — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /sər-ˈprīz/ sur·prise

Meaning & Definition of Surprise

Surprise (noun)

  1. an attack made without warning
  2. a taking unawares
  3. something that surprises

Surprise (verb)

  1. to attack unexpectedly; also, to capture by an unexpected attack
  2. to take unawares
  3. to detect or elicit by a taking unawares

Surprise (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: bombshell, jar, jaw-dropper, jolt, stunner, bolt from the blue
    related: shock, thunderclap, eye-opener, revelation, shocker, amazement, marvel, wonder, fillip, kick, kicker, twist, wrinkle

  2. the state of being strongly impressed by something unexpected or unusual

    "stared in utter surprise at the deer in his cabin"

    similar: amazement, astonishment, shock, startlement, stupefaction
    related: awe, wonder, wonderment, startle, bewilderment, confusion, consternation, discomfiture, dismay

  3. a setup in which hidden attackers lie in wait

    "waited under cover of darkness and took the enemy encampment by surprise at dawn"

    similar: ambuscade, ambush, ambushment, trap
    related: assault, attack, charge, sally, capture, entrapment, mousetrap, snare, hunting, stalking

Surprise (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: amaze, astonish, astound, bowl over, dumbfound, flabbergast, floor, rock, shock, startle, stun, stupefy, thunderstrike, knock for a loop, take aback, take by surprise
    related: befuddle, bewilder, blindside, blow away, confound, confuse, daze, discomfit, disconcert, dismay, jar, muddle, nonplus, perplex, shake up

  2. to lie in wait for and attack by surprise

    "FBI agents surprised the counterfeiters in their own base of operations"

    similar: ambuscade, ambush, waylay
    related: assail, assault, attack, storm, strike, jump, mug, pounce (on), tackle, charge, sally, capture, ensnare, entrap, mousetrap, net, snare, trap, hunt, prey (on or upon), stalk

Related Entry: Take by surprise (phrase)

Take by surprise is a different word from Surprise. The synonyms below are for take by surprise, not for surprise.

  1. to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected

    "I was taken by surprise when I heard the news and had trouble getting my thoughts together."

    similar: amaze, astonish, astound, bowl over, dumbfound, flabbergast, floor, rock, shock, startle, stun, stupefy, surprise, thunderstrike, knock for a loop, take aback
    related: befuddle, bewilder, blindside, blow away, confound, confuse, daze, discomfit, disconcert, dismay, jar, muddle, nonplus, perplex, shake up

Related Entry: Taken by surprise (phrase)

Taken by surprise is a different word from Surprise. The synonyms below are for taken by surprise, not for surprise.

  1. to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected

    "I was taken by surprise when I heard the news and had trouble getting my thoughts together."

    similar: amazed, astonished, astounded, bowled over, dumbfounded, flabbergasted, floored, rocked, shocked, startled, stunned, stupefied, surprised, thunderstruck, knocked for a loop, taken aback
    related: befuddled, bewildered, blindsided, blown away, confounded, confused, dazed, discomfited, disconcerted, dismayed, jarred, muddled, nonplussed, perplexed, shaken up

Related Entry: Took by surprise (phrase)

Took by surprise is a different word from Surprise. The synonyms below are for took by surprise, not for surprise.

  1. to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected

    "I was taken by surprise when I heard the news and had trouble getting my thoughts together."

    similar: amazed, astonished, astounded, bowled over, dumbfounded, flabbergasted, floored, rocked, shocked, startled, stunned, stupefied, surprised, thunderstruck, knocked for a loop, took aback
    related: befuddled, bewildered, blew away, blindsided, confounded, confused, dazed, discomfited, disconcerted, dismayed, jarred, muddled, nonplussed, perplexed, shook up

Related Entry: Takes by surprise (phrase)

Takes by surprise is a different word from Surprise. The synonyms below are for takes by surprise, not for surprise.

  1. to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected

    "I was taken by surprise when I heard the news and had trouble getting my thoughts together."

    similar: amazes, astonishes, astounds, bowls over, dumbfounds, flabbergasts, floors, rocks, shocks, startles, stuns, stupefies, surprises, thunderstrikes, knocks for a loop, takes aback
    related: befuddles, bewilders, blindsides, blows away, confounds, confuses, dazes, discomfits, disconcerts, dismays, jars, muddles, nonpluses, perplexes, shakes up

Related Entry: Taking by surprise (phrase)

Taking by surprise is a different word from Surprise. The synonyms below are for taking by surprise, not for surprise.

  1. to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected

    "I was taken by surprise when I heard the news and had trouble getting my thoughts together."

    similar: amazing, astonishing, astounding, bowling over, dumbfounding, flabbergasting, flooring, rocking, shocking, startling, stunning, stupefying, surprising, thunderstriking, knocking for a loop, taking aback
    related: befuddling, bewildering, blindsiding, blowing away, confounding, confusing, dazing, discomfiting, disconcerting, dismaying, jarring, muddling, nonplussing, perplexing, shaking up

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Surprise

The most common words with a similar meaning to Surprise:

bombshell, jar, jaw-dropper, jolt, stunner, amazement, astonishment, shock, startlement, stupefaction, ambuscade, ambush, ambushment, trap, bolt from the blue, amaze, astonish, astound, bowl over, dumbfound, flabbergast, floor, rock, startle, stun, stupefy, thunderstrike, waylay, knock for a loop, take aback, take by surprise

Related Words for Surprise

thunderclap, eye-opener, revelation, shocker, marvel, wonder, fillip, kick, kicker, twist, wrinkle, awe, wonderment, bewilderment, confusion, consternation, discomfiture, dismay, assault, attack, charge, sally, capture, entrapment, mousetrap, snare, hunting, stalking, befuddle, bewilder

Word Forms of Surprise

Inflections: surprised, surprized, surprising, surprizing

Derived words: surpriser (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Surprise

Middle English suppryse exaction, seizure, from Anglo-French sousprise, supprise, from feminine of supris, surpris, suspris, past participle of surprendre & susprendre to capture, take by surprise, from sur- & sus-, suz under + prendre to take prize, sous-chef

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Surprise

Words & Phrases Containing Surprise

surprise party, surprise, surprise, October surprise, be in for a (big/real) surprise, catch(someone or something) by surprise, catch unawares/unprepared/by surprise, come as a (complete/total) surprise

Frequently Asked Questions about Surprise

What does "Surprise" mean?

"Surprise" means an attack made without warning. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: an attack made without warning. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Surprise"?

Other words for "Surprise" include bombshell, jar, jaw-dropper, jolt, stunner, amazement, astonishment and shock. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Surprise" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Surprise"?

There are 85 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Surprise". Common alternatives include bombshell, jar, jaw-dropper, jolt, stunner, amazement, astonishment, shock, startlement and stupefaction.

How do you use "Surprise" in a sentence?

Examples of "Surprise" in a sentence: "the anniversary party was such a complete surprise that the couple was speechless for a moment"; "stared in utter surprise at the deer in his cabin"; "waited under cover of darkness and took the enemy encampment by surprise at dawn".

Is "Surprise" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Surprise" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Surprise" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Surprise" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Surprise"?

"Surprise" is pronounced /sər-ˈprīz/ and divided into syllables as sur·prise.

What is the origin of the word "Surprise"?

"Surprise" comes from Middle English suppryse exaction, seizure, from Anglo-French sousprise, supprise, from feminine of supris, surpris, suspris, past participle of surprendre & susprendre to capture, take by surprise, from sur- & sus-, suz under + prendre to take prize, sous-chef. First known use: 15th century.