# guess what

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/guess-what
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Used to introduce a surprising outcome or one that the hearer is not expected to try to guess.

## Examples

- Guess what, I just won a free trip.
- Guess what, the boss finally gave us the day off tomorrow.
- Guess what, the long-awaited results arrived this morning, and they exceeded all our expectations.

## Origin

Perhaps an ellipsis of "(can you) guess what I am about to say/what happened next?" (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.