Pronunciation: /sərˈpraɪz/

Definitions of surprise

noun a feeling of shock, disbelief, or astonishment

Example Sentences

A1 I received a surprise gift for my birthday.

A2 The children's faces lit up with surprise when they saw the magician perform.

B1 The surprise party was a huge success with all our friends and family attending.

B2 The unexpected promotion at work came as a pleasant surprise.

C1 The plot twist in the movie was a complete surprise and caught everyone off guard.

C2 The news of their engagement was met with great surprise by their friends and colleagues.

verb to cause someone to feel surprised

Example Sentences

A1 I surprise my friend with a birthday gift.

A2 The unexpected visitor surprised the family.

B1 She surprised everyone by announcing her engagement.

B2 The plot twist in the movie really surprised me.

C1 The sudden change in policy surprised the employees.

C2 The news of the merger surprised the industry experts.

Examples of surprise in a Sentence

formal The unexpected arrival of the CEO was a pleasant surprise for the employees.

informal I can't wait to see the look on her face when she sees the surprise party we planned for her.

slang I'm going to drop by his house and give him a surprise visit.

figurative His sudden resignation was a surprise twist in the company's ongoing drama.

Grammatical Forms of surprise

past tense

surprised

plural

surprises

comparative

more surprised

superlative

most surprised

present tense

surprises

future tense

will surprise

perfect tense

has surprised

continuous tense

is surprising

singular

surprise

positive degree

surprising

infinitive

to surprise

gerund

surprising

participle

surprising

Origin and Evolution of surprise

First Known Use: 1400 year
Language of Origin: Old French
Story behind the word: The word 'surprise' originated from the Old French word 'surprendre' which means 'to overtake' or 'to take unawares'.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'surprise' transitioned from its original meaning of being overtaken or caught unawares to its modern usage of being unexpected or astonishing.