surprise
surprise
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for the word "surprise" is /səˈpraɪz/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds in each syllable:
sur-: /sə/
/s/ as in "s"ip
/ə/ as in "a"bout (schwa sound)
prise: /ˈpraɪz/
/ˈ/ indicates the primary stress is on this syllable
/p/ as in "p"at
/r/ as in "r"at
/aɪ/ as in "eye"
/z/ as in "z"oo
Word Form Variations
surprise (noun): This is the base form, referring to an unexpected or astonishing event, thing, or feeling. It can be countable (a surprise party) or uncountable (a feeling of surprise).
surprises (noun, plural): More than one surprise. "We had many surprises at the party."
surprise (verb): To cause (someone) to feel surprise. "The magician surprised the audience."
surprised (adjective): Feeling or showing surprise. "She was surprised by the gift." It can also be the past participle of the verb.
surprising (adjective): Causing surprise; unexpected or astonishing. "That's a surprising result." It's the present participle of the verb used as an adjective.
surprisingly (adverb): In a way that causes surprise. "The movie was surprisingly good."
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun:
Definition: An unexpected or astonishing event, circumstance, or feeling. It can be something that causes wonder, amazement, or shock.
Synonyms: astonishment, wonder, amazement, shock, jolt, revelation, unexpected event, bolt from the blue, eye-opener
Antonyms: expectation, predictability, routine, familiarity, boredom
Verb:
Definition: To cause (someone) to feel surprise; to catch (someone) off guard; to do something unexpected to (someone).
Synonyms: amaze, astonish, astound, shock, startle, flabbergast, take aback, catch unawares
Antonyms: expect, anticipate, prepare, warn, bore
Adjective:
Definition (Describing a feeling): Feeling or showing surprise; astonished.
Synonyms: amazed, astonished, stunned, shocked, taken aback, speechless, wonderstruck
Antonyms: expecting, prepared, unsurprised, bored
Definition (Describing something that causes surprise): Causing surprise; unexpected or astonishing.
Synonyms: amazing, astonishing, astounding, shocking, startling, unexpected, unforeseen, remarkable
Antonyms: expected, predictable, unsurprising, ordinary, commonplace
Adverb:
Definition: In a way that causes surprise; unexpectedly; astonishingly.
Synonyms: unexpectedly, surprisingly, remarkably, astonishingly, amazingly, incredibly, strangely
Antonyms: expectedly, predictably, unsurprisingly, routinely, commonly
Examples of Use
Noun:
Book: "The biggest surprise of the evening was the appearance of her long-lost brother." (Fictional example, but representative of common usage in literature.)
Newspaper: "The team's victory was a surprise to many analysts." (Example of sports reporting, easily found in news archives.)
Online Publication: "10 Travel Destinations That Will Surprise You." (Common clickbait headline format.)
Entertainment (Movie Dialogue): "I have a surprise for you." (Classic line used in countless films.)
Public Discourse: "The sudden increase in prices came as a surprise to consumers." (Example of economic or political discussion.)
Verb:
Book: "He surprised her with a bouquet of flowers." (Common narrative device.)
Newspaper: "The candidate's strong showing in the polls surprised political experts." (Political reporting example.)
Online Publication: "This new study surprises scientists with its findings." (Science or research news.)
Entertainment (TV Show): "We're going to surprise her with a birthday party." (Common plot point in sitcoms or dramas.)
Public Discourse: "The company's announcement surprised investors." (Business or financial news.)
Adjective (Describing a feeling):
Book: "She was surprised by his sudden confession." (Character's emotional state in fiction.)
Newspaper: "Residents were surprised by the proposed development." (Local news reporting.)
Online Publication: "I was surprised at how easy the recipe was." (Review or personal account.)
Entertainment (Social Media Post): "Feeling so surprised and grateful for all the birthday wishes!" (Personal expression.)
Public Discourse: "Consumers are surprised by the rising cost of living." (Economic discussion.)
Adjective (Describing something that causes surprise):
Book: "It was a surprising turn of events." (Plot twist in a novel.)
Newspaper: "The team's success was a surprising development." (Sports analysis.)
Online Publication: "This surprising statistic reveals a new trend." (Data journalism or research report.)
Entertainment (Documentary): "The documentary revealed some surprising facts about the historical event." (Educational content.)
Public Discourse: "The company's profits showed a surprising increase." (Business news.)
Adverb:
Book: "He surprisingly agreed to help." (Narrative description.)
Newspaper: "The market performed surprisingly well." (Financial reporting.)
Online Publication: "The movie was surprisingly good." (Review.)
Entertainment (Podcast): "And surprisingly, the answer was right in front of us the whole time." (Narrative device.)
Public Discourse: "The project was completed surprisingly quickly." (Project management or development news.)
10 Famous Quotes Using Surprise
"Surprise is the greatest gift life can grant us." — Boris Pasternak
"The moments that surprise you are the ones that change you." — Anonymous
"Life is full of surprises, but the biggest ones often come from within." — Oprah Winfrey
"Surprise is the secret weapon of the creative mind."— Ray Bradbury
"Expect nothing. Live frugally on surprise."— Alice Walker
"It is not the shock that hurts—it is the surprise." — Anonymous
"Never underestimate the power of a well-placed surprise." — Agatha Christie
"There is no greater joy than to surprise someone with kindness." — Maya Angelou
"Surprise is the foundation of delight." — C.S. Lewis
"In the age of information, surprise is the rarest emotion." — Douglas Rushkoff
Etymology
Let's break down the word "surprise." It comes to English from French, specifically the word "surprise," which has the same meaning as in English. This French word is itself a combination of two parts:
"sur": This means "over" or "above." Think of words like "surface" (the top layer) or "surpass" (to go beyond).
"prise": This comes from the Latin word "prendere," meaning "to seize" or "to take." You can see the connection to words like "apprehend" or "enterprise" (something you "take on").
So, if you put it together literally, "surprise" originally meant something "taken over" or "seized upon" – kind of like being caught off guard. Imagine someone suddenly grabbing you – that's the feeling the word captures.
The first recorded use of "surprise" in English was sometime in the 1500s. It had pretty much the same meaning then as it does now: something unexpected that astonishes or shocks you. So, even hundreds of years ago, people were using the word to describe that feeling of being caught off guard by something unexpected.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Surprise
Phrases using "surprise" directly:
To one's surprise: This phrase is used to introduce something unexpected. "To my surprise, the cat actually enjoyed the bath."
No surprise: Meaning something is expected or predictable. "It's no surprise that he won the race; he's been training for months."
Surprise party: A party planned secretly to surprise someone.
Surprise attack: A military attack that is unexpected.
Element of surprise: The advantage gained by doing something unexpected.
Take someone by surprise: To do something unexpected to someone.
Idioms with similar meaning (using synonyms or related concepts):
Out of the blue: Meaning unexpectedly. "The job offer came out of the blue."
A bolt from the blue: A completely unexpected and often shocking event. "The resignation of the CEO was a bolt from the blue."
Catch someone off guard: To surprise someone. "The question caught me off guard."
Knock someone off their feet: To overwhelm someone with surprise or excitement. "The news knocked me off my feet."
Take someone aback: To surprise or shock someone. "I was taken aback by his rudeness."
Leave someone speechless: To surprise someone so much that they cannot speak. "I was left speechless by the generosity of the gift."
Drop a bombshell: To reveal shocking or surprising news. "They dropped a bombshell at the meeting when they announced the merger."
Original phrases and plays on words:
A surprise package: Something unexpected and often welcome. (A play on the literal meaning.)
The surprise is on you: A reversal of expectations, where the intended target of a surprise ends up surprising the other person.
Surprise me!: A playful challenge to someone to do or say something unexpected.
Why "surprise" idioms are less common:
The concept of surprise is often expressed through the effect it has on someone (being "taken aback," "speechless") or the manner in which it occurs ("out of the blue"). The word "surprise" itself is very direct and doesn't always need to be part of an idiomatic expression to convey its meaning. We often use other words to add nuance or emphasis to the idea of surprise.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of surprise from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
