surprise
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
How often you will meet it
Rank 729 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 25,761 times across 155,139 chapters — 0.012% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 1,000 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
noun
- the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
- a sudden unexpected event
- the act of surprising someone also: surprisal
verb
- cause to be surprised The news really surprised me
- come upon or take unawares She surprised the coupleHe surprised an interesting scene
- attack by storm; attack suddenly also: storm
surprise in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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The face of Walter McAndrew, Attorney-at-Law, expressed surprise.
Gloria and Treeless Street · Annie Hamilton Donnell · Chapter 1
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I am afraid I showed my surprise rather plainly.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles · Agatha Christie · Chapter 1
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But John noticed, with surprise, that the Demon didn't score.
The Hill: A Romance of Friendship · Horace Annesley Vachell · Chapter 1
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I was sitting up in my chair, pointing, my eyes fixed with surprise.
The Betrayal · E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim · Chapter 1
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Rain in abundance, which, however, much cooled the air; with thunder and lightening, caused in me a terrible surprise.
The Life and Most Surprising Adventures · Daniel Defoe · Chapter 1