surprise

A2 · Elementary Countable noun

n. an event, gift, or piece of news that you did not expect.

n. an unexpected or astonishing event, fact, or thing.

“I have a little surprise for you in the car.”

“The sudden resignation of the prime minister came as a complete surprise to the political establishment.”

A2 · Elementary

v. to do something that someone does not expect, often making them feel happy or shocked.

v. to cause someone to feel mild astonishment or shock by acting unexpectedly.

“We managed to surprise her with a beautiful birthday cake.”

“The company's decision to double its annual dividend surprised even the most optimistic market analysts.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to find or attack someone when they are not prepared.

v. to encounter, attack, or discover someone unexpectedly or without warning.

“The sudden rainstorm surprised the hikers while they were on the ridge.”

“The enemy forces were surprised in their camp before they had time to organize a proper defense.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal · Humorous

interj. a word used to show you are not shocked because something was very obvious.

interj. a sarcastic exclamation used to indicate that a supposedly unexpected event was actually predictable.

“He forgot his keys again. Surprise, surprise.”

“The billionaire avoided paying taxes for the tenth year in a row—surprise, surprise.”