surprise

The word “surprise” means something unexpected, or the feeling caused by it. In plain terms, something unexpected, the feeling it causes, or the act of causing that feeling.

“Surprise” is pronounced suh-PRYZ (/sə(ː)ˈpɹaɪ̯z/ in IPA).

Here is “surprise” used in a sentence: “The party was a total surprise to her.”

Words with a similar meaning to “surprise” include more than one bargained for, unexpected, give one a start, amazement, awe and bewilderment.

The opposite of “surprise” — its antonyms — are expectancy and expectation.

Depending on how it is used, “surprise” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “surprise” comes from Latin. From Old French surprendre ("to overtake"), from sur- ("over") + prendre ("to take"), from Latin prehendere ("to grasp, seize").

“Surprise” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

Both come from something unexpected, but they differ in intensity and tone. Surprise is milder and can be pleasant or neutral — a surprise party, a surprise gift. Shock is stronger and usually negative or distressing, often overwhelming the person. All shocks are surprising, but not every surprise rises to a shock.

Surprise is neutral by nature — it simply marks something unexpected. It can turn pleasant, like an unexpected reunion, or unpleasant, like a sudden bill. Psychologists often list it among the basic emotions precisely because it can tip either way, coloring quickly into joy, fear, or relief depending on what follows.

Surprises are often grouped by feeling: pleasant surprises (a gift, good news), unpleasant ones (a setback, bad news), and neutral ones that simply catch you off guard. The word also names planned events, like a surprise party, and can describe the emotion itself, the cause of it, or an unexpected act.

The opposite depends on the sense. As a feeling, the opposite is expectation or anticipation — knowing what's coming. As a quality, something predictable, foreseen, or unremarkable is the reverse of a surprise. Where a surprise catches you off guard, its opposite is anything you already saw coming.