ENGLISH
REFERENCE

surprised

adj.
A2 Elementary Oxford US //səˈpɹaɪzd// UK //səpɹˈaɪzd// sur·prised General-service

adj. feeling or showing that something happened which you did not expect. You feel this when a situation is new, strange, or sudden.

adj. feeling or showing amazement or disbelief at an unexpected event. Often followed by a prepositional phrase or a 'that' clause.


SIMPLE

I was surprised to see my old friend at the party.

CONTEXTUAL

She looked surprised when the waiter brought a cake to the table for her birthday.

COMPLEX

The researchers were surprised by the results of the study, as the data contradicted their initial hypothesis regarding consumer behavior in the region.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

Commonly takes the prepositions 'by' or 'at' before a noun, or an infinitive verb ('surprised to find').

Pitfall

I am very surpriseI am very surprisedLearners often use the base form of the verb instead of the -ed adjective to describe a feeling.

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