to surprise
Third Person
surprises
Present Participle
surprising
Past Tense
surprised
Past Participle
surprised
1
to make someone feel mildly shocked
transitive
- The unexpected news seemed to surprise her, and she couldn't hide her reaction.
- As the magician performed his tricks, the audience watched in anticipation, waiting for something to surprise them.
- The sudden appearance of a familiar face in the crowd managed to surprise me.
- The twist in the plot completely surprised the viewers of the movie.
- Walking into the room, the bright decorations and cheering friends truly surprised him.
2
to encounter or catch someone off guard
transitive
- A burst of laughter from behind surprised her as she focused on her work.
- A deer surprised the driver by leaping onto the road out of nowhere.
- They surprised the hikers by emerging suddenly from the dense forest.
- Police surprised the suspects in the middle of their illegal operation.
- She surprised the cat by sneaking up behind it with a toy mouse.
3
to seize, confront, or encounter someone or something unexpectedly
transitive
- The army surprised the fortress at night, catching its defenders unprepared.
- The ambush surprised the convoy on its routine patrol through the valley.
- The soldiers planned to surprise the enemy camp at the break of dawn.
- Pirates surprised the merchant ship as it sailed through the narrow strait.
- An enemy patrol was surprised while resting by the riverbank.
Synonyms: