surprise | Definition of surprise

surprise

verb

variants: also surprize

Synonyms and Antonyms of surprise

1 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 of surprise

amaze, astonish, astound, bowl over, dumbfound (also dumfound), flabbergast, floor, rock, shock, startle, stun, stupefy, thunderstrike

Words Related to surprise

befuddle, bewilder, blindside, blow away, confound, confuse, daze, discomfit, disconcert, dismay, jar, muddle, nonplus, perplex, shake up

Phrases Synonymous with surprise

knock for a loop, take aback, take by surprise

2 to lie in wait for and attack by surprise

FBI agents surprised the counterfeiters in their own base of operations

Synonyms of surprise

ambuscade, ambush, waylay

Words Related to surprise

assail, assault, attack, storm, strike

jump, mug, pounce (on), tackle

capture, ensnare, entrap, mousetrap, net, snare, trap

hunt, prey (on or upon), stalk