Dictionary
1surprise
noun sur·prise \sə(r)-ˈprīz\
: an unexpected event, piece of information, etc.
: an unexpected gift, party, etc.
: the feeling caused by something that is unexpected or unusual
Full Definition of SURPRISE
1
a : an attack made without warning b : a taking unawares
2
: something that surprises
3
: the state of being surprised : astonishment
See surprise defined for English-language learners
See surprise defined for kids
Variants of SURPRISE
sur·prise also sur·prize \sə(r)-ˈprīz\
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Origin of SURPRISE
Related to SURPRISE
- Synonyms
- bombshell, jar, jaw-dropper, jolt, stunner, bolt from the blue (also bolt out of the blue)
Rhymes with SURPRISE
abscise, advise, apprise, apprize, arise, assize, baptize, bite-size, breadthwise, capsize, chastise, clockwise, coastwise, cognize, comprise, crabwise, crack wise, crosswise, demise, despise, devise, disguise, disprize, door prize, downsize, earthrise, edgewise, emprise, endwise, excise, fanwise, franchise, full-size, grecize, high-rise, incise, king-size, leastwise, lengthwise, Levi's, life-size, likewise, low-rise, man-size, mid-rise, midsize, misprize, moonrise, nowise, outsize, piecewise, pint-size, premise, quantize, queen-size, remise, reprise, revise, rightsize, slantwise, streetwise, stylize, suffice, sunrise, surmise, trim size, twin-size, unwise, uprise
2surprise
verb
: to cause (someone) to feel surprised
: to find, attack, or meet (someone or something) unexpectedly
sur·prised also sur·prizedsur·pris·ing also sur·priz·ing
Full Definition of SURPRISE
transitive verb
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>
3
: to strike with wonder or amazement especially because unexpected <his conduct surprised me>
intransitive verb
: to cause astonishment or surprise <her success didn't surprise>
— sur·pris·er noun
See surprise defined for English-language learners
Variants of SURPRISE
surprise also surprize
First Known Use of SURPRISE
15th century
Related to SURPRISE
Synonym Discussion of SURPRISE
surprise, astonish, astound, amaze, flabbergast 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>. astonish implies surprising so greatly as to seem incredible <a discovery that astonished the world>. astound stresses the shock of astonishment <too astounded to respond>. amaze suggests an effect of bewilderment <amazed by the immense size of the place>. flabbergast may suggest thorough astonishment and bewilderment or dismay <flabbergasted by his angry refusal>.
Surprise
geographical name Sur·prise \sər-ˈprīz\
Definition of SURPRISE
city S cen Arizona W of Phoenix pop 117,517
SURPRIZE Defined for Kids
1surprise
noun sur·prise \sər-ˈprīz, sə-ˈprīz\
Definition of SURPRISE for Kids
1
: something that is unexpected <I have a surprise for you.>
2
: astonishment, amazement <… it held up to them a little white object. They all looked at it in surprise … — C. S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe>
3
: an act or instance of coming upon without warning <They were taken by surprise.>
2surprise
verb
sur·prisedsur·pris·ing
Definition of SURPRISE for Kids
1
: to cause to feel wonder or amazement because of being unexpected <Her resemblance to her father surprised me.>
2
: to come upon without warning <The robbers were surprised by police.>
3
: to attack without warning : capture by an unexpected attack
Synonym Discussion of SURPRISE
surprise, astonish, and amaze mean to impress forcibly by being unexpected, startling, or unusual. surprise is used when something is unexpected even though it by itself is not startling. <A sudden storm surprised the hikers.> astonish means to surprise very much with something that is hard or impossible to believe. <The first airplanes astonished people.> amaze is used when something causes a person to wonder and puzzle over it. <The magician amazed the children.>
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