surprise 1 of 2

noun

sər-ˈprīz How to pronounce surprise (audio)
variants also surprize
Definition of surprisenext
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
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
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

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
Bogues’ wife and his three kids were all involved in Saturday’s surprise, arranging to be there when Bogues heard the news. — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 27 Oct. 2026 Attention now turns to Wednesday’s Budget to see if Healey will pull a surprise announcement out his red briefcase to secure the facility’s future. — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 27 Oct. 2026
Verb
In 1968, things came to a head when to surprise McQueen for his birthday during the filming of Bullitt. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026 Her family supported her, even when her tastes surprised them; school could be lonelier. — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for surprise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surprise
  1. shock
  2. astonishment
  3. ambush
  4. amaze
  5. attack
  6. jolt
  7. amazement
  8. stun
Noun
  • The United States also has a uniquely large and diverse economy that is far less susceptible to shocks than many of its smaller peers.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Duncan says the initial shock usually fades after a round or two, and cycling back and forth multiple times yields better results.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of shock
Noun
  • Its laughs are more often born out of astonishment than intentional comic craft.
    — Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Or someone sees the light on in Rita’s room and their eyes meet for a second, from a distance, observing one another with astonishment.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of astonishment
Noun
  • The soldiers, aviation technicians with the Salvandoran army, were victims of a gang ambush on Sunday in the Santo area of Croix-des-Bouquets, east of Port-au-Prince, while on their way back to camp after visiting a local supermarket.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Using that information to inform computer models, the scientists found that mosasaurs were skilled ambush predators built for a quick sneak attack.
    — October 16, NPR, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of ambush
Verb
  • Larry remarks, amazed all these years later by this odd before-they-were-stars encounter.
    — Blake J. Harris, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
  • What amazes me is there seems to be a wide swath of Michiganders who don’t seem to mind being lied to.
    — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of amaze
Verb
  • Egypt's president sought to reassure the public that the country wouldn't attack Yemen, and that the military support is limited to defending Saudi territory.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Back in 2023, Stevens revealed he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome—a rare auto-immune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves—and was working to relearn how to walk and use his hands.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • When the day starts at sunrise for wildlife safaris, hiking, or skiing, that java jolt is even more important.
    — Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
  • But about 15 minutes into the flight, passengers experienced a sudden jolt that sent them lunging forward, according to Mark Springer.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of jolt
Noun
  • To the continued amazement of advantage players, casino operatives can argue with apparent conviction that card counting— essentially mental arithmetic—is a form of fraud.
    — Kit Chellel, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
  • No harsh chemicals for her, much to the amazement and envy of her Ghanaian classmates.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of amazement
Verb
  • Frelick tied the score with his first home run in three months, Pratt hit a go-ahead single in the seventh inning to make up for his earlier error and the Brewers stunned the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 on Saturday night for a 2-0 World Series lead.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Short enough to read in a single sitting, Sara Gran’s chilling story of an architect succumbing to demonic possession will leave readers stunned and unsettled.
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of stun

Phrases Containing surprise

Browse Nearby Words

surpluses
surprise
surprised
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Surprise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surprise. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on surprise

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about surprise

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of shindig

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All