surprise
Catch off guard
Surprise captures the feeling when something unexpected happens, whether pleasant or unpleasant.
As a noun, it's both the emotion itself and the unexpected thing that triggers it: What a lovely surprise!
As a verb, to surprise someone is to catch them off guard or present them with something unanticipated.
A surprise party is one the guest of honor doesn't know about beforehand.
If you take someone by surprise, you catch them unprepared.
Surprise can also modify other nouns to indicate unexpectedness: a surprise visit, surprise ending.
Intense sudden wonder
- amazementOverwhelming surprise and wonder
- bewildermentState of being baffled
- wonderAmazement or curiosity
- disbeliefRejection of truth claims
incredulity · shock · startled · dumbfounded · flabbergasted · speechless · awe · stupefaction
Aggressive act against another
- trapDevice for catching animals
- raidSudden armed incursion
- pounceSudden attack leap
- ambushSurprise strike from concealment
assault · sneak · stealth · blindside · caught-off-guard · waylay · bushwhack · blitz
Act of first revealing
- discoveryAct of finding something
- disclosureAct of revealing information
- revelationSurprising disclosed truth
- unmaskingRevealing what's hidden
announcement · confession · twist · bombshell · exposure · leak · divulgence · uncover
Happy, satisfied feeling
- joyIntense positive emotion
- thrillSurge of intense excitement
- elationIntense triumphant joy
- gleeExuberant, often impish delight
excitement · happiness · enchantment · exhilaration · euphoria · serendipity · jubilation · rapture
Gift or current moment
- partyGathering for celebration
- birthdayAnnual date of origin
- unwrappingRemoving a covering
- packageWrapped item for delivery
ribbon · bow · celebration · cake · guests · decorations · balloons · confetti
astonishment
Intense sudden wonder
- amazementOverwhelming surprise and wonder
- bewildermentState of being baffled
- wonderAmazement or curiosity
disbelief · incredulity · shock · startled · dumbfounded · flabbergasted · speechless · awe · stupefaction · perplexity
attack
Aggressive act against another
ambush · assault · sneak · stealth · blindside · caught-off-guard · waylay · bushwhack · blitz
unveiling
Act of first revealing
- discoveryAct of finding something
- disclosureAct of revealing information
- revelationSurprising disclosed truth
unmasking · announcement · confession · twist · bombshell · exposure · leak · divulgence · uncover · unearth
pleasure
Happy, satisfied feeling
glee · excitement · happiness · enchantment · exhilaration · euphoria · serendipity · jubilation · rapture · bliss
present
Gift or current moment
- partyGathering for celebration
- birthdayAnnual date of origin
- unwrappingRemoving a covering
package · ribbon · bow · celebration · cake · guests · decorations · balloons · confetti · anniversary
strategy
Planned approach to goals
- maneuverDeliberate tactical movement
- ployCalculated deceptive tactic
- gambitRisky opening for advantage
feint · deception · bluff · ruse · scheme · diversion · subterfuge · trickery · guile · misdirection
voilà
Exclamation presenting something
surpriseexpectation
Belief about future outcomes
anticipation · predictability · foreknowledge · certainty · expect
surpriseroutine
Regular sequence of actions
predictability · monotony · sameness · regularity · normalcy
- surprise partyCovert celebration for an unsuspecting honoree
- by surpriseWithout prior notice
- take by surpriseAttack without warning
- surprise partiesSecretly planned celebrations
- surprise attackUnanticipated offensive strike
- surprise visitUnscheduled appearance at someone's location
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