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Surprise synonyms

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blow
An unexpected shock or calamity.
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  1. An unexpected shock or calamity.
  2. The state of blossoming:
  3. A mass of blossoms:
shock
An instance of the passage of an electric current through the body. The amount of injury caused by electric shock depends on the type and strength of the current, the length of time the current is applied, and the route the current takes once it enters the body.
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  1. An instance of the passage of an electric current through the body. The amount of injury caused by electric shock depends on the type and strength of the current, the length of time the current is applied, and the route the current takes once it enters the body.
  2. A sudden feeling of distress:
  3. (Short for) shock absorber
stagger
To arrange (the wings of a biplane) so that the leading edge of one wing is either ahead of or behind the leading edge of the other wing.
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  1. To arrange (the wings of a biplane) so that the leading edge of one wing is either ahead of or behind the leading edge of the other wing.
  2. To arrange in alternating or overlapping time periods:
  3. (Sports) To arrange (the start of a race) with the starting point in the outside lanes progressively closer to the finish line so as to neutralize the advantage of competing in the shorter inside lanes.
startle
To alarm, frighten, or surprise suddenly.
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  1. To alarm, frighten, or surprise suddenly.
  2. To become alarmed, frightened, or surprised.
  3. To surprise, frighten, or alarm suddenly or unexpectedly; esp., to cause to start, or move involuntarily, as from sudden fright
take
To start growing; root or germinate:
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  1. To start growing; root or germinate:
  2. To carry in one's possession:
  3. To convey by transportation:
hit
To give a blow or blows; strike
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  1. To give a blow or blows; strike
  2. (Baseball) To get (a specified result) while batting the ball
  3. (Sports) To bite on or take (bait or a lure). Used of a fish.
ambush
To attack from a concealed position.
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  1. To attack from a concealed position.
  2. To attack from ambush
  3. To hide in ambush
bushwhack
To fight as a guerrilla in the woods.
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  1. To fight as a guerrilla in the woods.
  2. To engage in guerrilla fighting, attacking from ambush
  3. To ambush
waylay
To interrupt the course or progress of:
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  1. To interrupt the course or progress of:
  2. To wait for and accost (a person) on the way
  3. To lie in wait for and attack from ambush.
amaze
(Obs.) To bewilder
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  1. (Obs.) To bewilder
  2. (Obsolete) To bewilder; perplex.
  3. To cause great wonder or astonishment:
astonish
To fill with sudden wonder or great surprise; amaze
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  1. To fill with sudden wonder or great surprise; amaze
  2. To fill with sudden wonder or amazement.
astound
To bewilder with sudden surprise; astonish greatly; amaze
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  1. To bewilder with sudden surprise; astonish greatly; amaze
  2. To astonish, bewilder or dazzle.
  3. To astonish and bewilder.
awe
To fill with awe:
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  1. To fill with awe:
  2. To inspire awe in; fill with awe
startle
To be startled
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  1. To be startled
  2. To surprise, frighten, or alarm suddenly or unexpectedly; esp., to cause to start, or move involuntarily, as from sudden fright
  3. To become alarmed, frightened, or surprised.
astonishment
The state of being astonished; great amazement
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  1. The state of being astonished; great amazement
  2. An amazing thing or phenomenon.
  3. A cause of amazement; a marvel.
wonderment
Something causing wonder; a marvel
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  1. Something causing wonder; a marvel
  2. Astonishment, awe, or puzzlement.
  3. A state, arousal, or thing describable by wonder, strange, awe, surprise, marvel, or astonishment
astonish
To fill with sudden wonder or great surprise; amaze
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  1. To fill with sudden wonder or great surprise; amaze
  2. To fill with sudden wonder or amazement.
astound
To astonish and bewilder.
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  1. To astonish and bewilder.
  2. To astonish, bewilder or dazzle.
  3. To bewilder with sudden surprise; astonish greatly; amaze
amaze
(Obs.) To bewilder
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  1. (Obs.) To bewilder
  2. (Obsolete) To bewilder; perplex.
  3. To cause great wonder or astonishment:
bewilder
To confuse or befuddle, especially by being complicated or varied.
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  1. To confuse or befuddle, especially by being complicated or varied.
  2. (Archaic) To cause to be lost, as in a wilderness
  3. To confuse, puzzle or befuddle someone, especially with many different things.
confound
To cause to become confused or perplexed.
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  1. To cause to become confused or perplexed.
  2. Used in mild curses:
  3. To mix up or lump together indiscriminately; confuse
shock
To produce electrical shock in (a body)
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  1. To produce electrical shock in (a body)
  2. To subject (an animal or person) to an electric shock.
  3. An instance of the passage of an electric current through the body. The amount of injury caused by electric shock depends on the type and strength of the current, the length of time the current is applied, and the route the current takes once it enters the body.
overwhelm
To present with an excessive amount:
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  1. To present with an excessive amount:
  2. To defeat completely and decisively:
  3. To turn over; upset:
dumbfound
To make speechless by shocking; amaze; astonish
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  1. To make speechless by shocking; amaze; astonish
  2. To confuse and bewilder; to leave speechless.
  3. To fill with astonishment and perplexity; confound.
unsettle
To bring into disorder or disarray
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  1. To bring into disorder or disarray
  2. To become unsettled
  3. To change from a settled condition; disrupt:
stun
To overpower or bewilder as by a loud noise or explosion
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  1. To overpower or bewilder as by a loud noise or explosion
  2. To stupefy, as with the emotional impact of an experience; astound.
  3. To daze or render senseless, as by a blow or loud noise.
electrify
To thrill, startle greatly, or shock:
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  1. To thrill, startle greatly, or shock:
  2. To cause electricity to pass through; to affect by electricity; to give an electric shock to.
  3. To wire or equip (a building, for example) for the use of electric power.
petrify
To paralyze or make numb, as with fear; stupefy; stun
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  1. To paralyze or make numb, as with fear; stupefy; stun
  2. To replace the normal cells of (organic matter) with silica or other mineral deposits; re-form as a stony substance
  3. To cause to lose vitality or become impervious to change; deaden:
startle
To cause to make a quick involuntary movement or start.
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  1. To cause to make a quick involuntary movement or start.
  2. To become alarmed, frightened, or surprised.
  3. To surprise, frighten, or alarm suddenly or unexpectedly; esp., to cause to start, or move involuntarily, as from sudden fright
stupefy
To bring into a state of stupor; stun; make dull or lethargic
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  1. To bring into a state of stupor; stun; make dull or lethargic
  2. To amaze; astonish:
  3. To cause (someone) to be unable to think clearly or be sensitive to the surroundings; daze:
nonplus
To put in a nonplus; bewilder
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  1. To put in a nonplus; bewilder
  2. (Usage Problem) To cause to feel indifferent or bored.
  3. To put at a loss as to what to think, say, or do; bewilder.
dazzle
To dim the vision of, especially to blind with intense light.
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  1. To dim the vision of, especially to blind with intense light.
  2. To confuse, surprise, or overpower as by a brilliant display or exceptional qualities
  3. To amaze, overwhelm, or bewilder with spectacular display:
daze
To dazzle, as with strong light.
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  1. To dazzle, as with strong light.
  2. To stupefy, stun, or bewilder, as by a shock or blow
  3. To stun or bewilder, as with a heavy blow or shock; stupefy:
perplex
To make (a person) uncertain, doubtful, or hesitant; confuse; puzzle
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  1. To make (a person) uncertain, doubtful, or hesitant; confuse; puzzle
  2. To confuse or trouble with uncertainty or doubt.
flabbergast
To make speechless with amazement; astonish
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  1. To make speechless with amazement; astonish
  2. To cause to be overcome with astonishment; astound.
floor
To provide with a floor.
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  1. To provide with a floor.
  2. To cover or furnish with a floor
  3. (Informal) To press down to the floor
bowl over
(Idiomatic) To overwhelm with astonishment or wonder; to flabbergast
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  1. (Idiomatic) To overwhelm with astonishment or wonder; to flabbergast
  2. (Idiomatic) To overwhelm; to cause to fall to the ground.
jar
To give forth a rudely quivering or tremulous sound; to sound harshly or discordantly.
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  1. To give forth a rudely quivering or tremulous sound; to sound harshly or discordantly.
  2. To shock or surprise.
  3. To be out of harmony; clash or conflict:
jolt
To cause to move jerkily:
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  1. To cause to move jerkily:
  2. To move or dislodge with a sudden, hard blow; strike heavily or jarringly:
  3. To shake up or jar, as with a bumpy ride or sharp blow
take-one-s-breath-away
To make a person feel emotionally moved in a pleasant way.
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  1. To make a person feel emotionally moved in a pleasant way.
nab
To grab; snatch.
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  1. To grab; snatch.
  2. To seize suddenly; snatch or steal
  3. To arrest or catch (a felon or wrongdoer)
catch
To get (something required), usually quickly or for a brief period:
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  1. To get (something required), usually quickly or for a brief period:
  2. To discover by taking unawares; surprise in some act
  3. To seize or take by or as by a trap, snare, etc.
ambuscade
To attack suddenly and without warning from a concealed place; ambush.
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  1. To attack suddenly and without warning from a concealed place; ambush.

Synonym Study

  • Flabbergast is a colloquial term suggesting an astounding to the point of speechlessness
  • Astound suggests such a shocking surprise that one is left helpless to act or think I was astounded by the proposal
  • Amaze suggests an astonishing that causes bewilderment or confusion amazed at the sudden turn of events
  • Astonish implies a surprising with something that seems unbelievable to astonish with sleight of hand
  • Surprise implies an affecting with wonder because of being unexpected, unusual, etc. I'm surprised at your concern
Find another word for surprise. In this page you can discover 82 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for surprise, like: blow, shock, unexpected good fortune, stagger, take-aback, startle, hit on, take, hit, ambush and bushwhack.

Sentence Examples

  • He likes to surprise people.

  • It shouldn't be any surprise, since that was what suffered when he had been troubled in the past.

  • What a surprise! said he.

  • To her surprise, she caught Connie at home.

  • He had not gone farther than to the end of the innkeeper's field, when to his surprise he found that the road forked.

More sentences →

Words that mention surprise in the Dictionary

Words near surprise in the Thesaurus