variants
or less commonly surprize
1
a
: an attack made without warning
b
: a taking unawares
2
: something that surprises
3
: the feeling caused by something unexpected or unusual
variants
or less commonly surprize
surprised also surprized; surprising also surprizing
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
Willa Cather3
: to strike with wonder or amazement especially because unexpected
His conduct surprised me.
: to cause astonishment or surprise
Her success didn't surprise.
surpriser
noun
Synonyms
Examples of surprise in a Sentence
Noun
What a pleasant surprise to see you!
It's no surprise that he doesn't want to go.
Is it any surprise that she should feel disappointed?
The teacher sprang a surprise on us and gave a pop quiz.
I have a special surprise for the children.
The trip was a surprise for her birthday.
Is the party a surprise?
Imagine our surprise when they sold their house and moved to the Bahamas.
He stared at her in surprise.
Verb
The results will surprise you.
Nothing you could say would surprise me.
They surprised everyone by moving to the Bahamas.
A police officer surprised the burglars.
The troops were surprised by an attack from the north.
Recent Examples on the Web
Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
In 2001, my father left my mother, my three siblings, and me a surprise inheritance in a Swiss bank account.
—Suzanne Seggerman, Curbed, 14 Nov. 2024
Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2024
Watch on Hulu At Witt’s End On December 1, 1994, 19-year-old Melissa Witt drove to surprise her mother at a bowling alley in Fort Smith, Arkansas, but disappeared without a trace.
—Jennifer M. Wood, WIRED, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for surprise 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Noun
Donald Trump’s head-turning pick for attorney general takes some federal officials by surprise.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
In 2001, my father left my mother, my three siblings, and me a surprise inheritance in a Swiss bank account.
—Suzanne Seggerman, Curbed, 14 Nov. 2024
Verb
But even the most devoted cat lovers might be surprised by the results of a new study.
—Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2024
Watch on Hulu At Witt’s End On December 1, 1994, 19-year-old Melissa Witt drove to surprise her mother at a bowling alley in Fort Smith, Arkansas, but disappeared without a trace.
—Jennifer M. Wood, WIRED, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for surprise
Articles Related to surprise
Dictionary Entries Near surprise
Cite this Entry
“Surprise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surprise. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
surprise
1 of 2 noun
sur·prise
sə(r)-ˈprīz 
1
a
: an attack made without warning
b
: an act or an instance of coming upon someone suddenly
2
: something that surprises
3
: the state of being surprised : astonishment
surprise
2 of 2 verb
variants
also surprize
surprised also surprized; surprising also surprizing
1
a
: to attack without warning
b
: to capture by an unexpected attack
2
: to come upon unexpectedly
3
: to fill with wonder or amazement because unexpected
surpriser
noun
Geographical Definition
Surprise
geographical name
Sur·prise
sər-ˈprīz
city in south central Arizona west of Phoenix population 117,517
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