surprises 1 of 2

noun

variants also surprizes
plural of surprise
1
as in shocks
something that makes a strong impression because it is so unexpected the anniversary party was such a complete surprise that the couple was speechless for a moment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in amazements
the state of being strongly impressed by something unexpected or unusual stared in utter surprise at the deer in his cabin

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in ambushes
a setup in which hidden attackers lie in wait waited under cover of darkness and took the enemy encampment by surprise at dawn

Synonyms & Similar Words

surprises

2 of 2

verb

variants also surprizes
present tense third-person singular of surprise
1
as in amazes
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected I was very surprised when my parents offered to pay the down payment on our house

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in attacks
to lie in wait for and attack by surprise FBI agents surprised the counterfeiters in their own base of operations

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of surprises
Noun
The Bengals cut the roster down to 53 players on Sunday and there weren’t many surprises in a year where continuity and depth made only a few spots truly feel open to unseating the placeholder. — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026 There were no major surprises after the team made its final cuts, paring the roster down to 53 players days ahead of the flight to Melbourne, Australia, for Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams. — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 31 Aug. 2026 Reading the full terms before confirming a reservation is the most reliable way to avoid surprises. — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026 But as was the case on Emmy-nominations morning, there are sure to be surprises when the final Emmy winners are announced on September 14. — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 31 Aug. 2026 In is expected to featured multiple surprises, including the imminent debut of the Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods of the New Day. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 The anniversary program will run throughout the season, with customer events, competitions, limited-edition products, dedicated window installations, new content, special offers and more surprises to come. — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026 No surprises among the specialists, in other words — and considering how well the trio executed last season and this summer, that’s a good thing. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 24 Aug. 2026 The opening weekend of high school football provided some thrills and surprises. — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
Vintage Lighting Lighting is another one that surprises people, Gruver says. — Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 14 Aug. 2026 But the 'people's RV maker' often surprises with its annual Caravan Salon slate. — New Atlas, 11 Aug. 2026 Tight end Tyler Fortenberry said Rogers' prediction surprises no one on the team. — ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026 Advertisement Mosquitoes transmit heartworm disease, a connection Markowski says surprises many dog owners. — Angela Haupt, Time, 3 Aug. 2026 Therapists also suggest talking honestly about debt, credit and any financial obligations one partner is bringing into the relationship, so nothing surprises the other person after the boxes are unpacked. — Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 29 July 2026 In my experience, what surprises visitors most is Kyoto’s ability to turn seasonality into an almost theatrical experience. — Shivani Vora, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 Khloé Kardashian surprises fans at her local Los Angeles Costco to celebrate her new protein popcorn, Khloud, being available in the supermarket chain on July 26. — Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026 What surprises me, actually, is – not surprises me, but what gratifies me is that Iranian attacks have been – not been larger or more capable. — CBS News, 12 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surprises
  1. shocks
  2. astonishments
  3. ambushes
  4. amazes
  5. attacks
  6. jolts
  7. traps
  8. stuns
Noun
  • And the who, what and why of the vengeful spirit is the narrative pull of the play — along with the tense anticipation of more revelations, suspicions and shocks.
    — Frank Rizzo, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Under current law, the President has the flexibility to order a limited drawdown, releasing up to 30 million barrels over a 60-day period, to mitigate sudden supply shocks without declaring a full-scale national emergency.
    — Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of shocks
Noun
  • The Oscars, airing March 2 on ABC and streaming live on Hulu, will offer up kudos for some of these astonishments.
    — Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Feb. 2025
Definition of astonishments
Noun
  • Social Media Capture The underlying tactic is not new, with both Russian and Ukrainian forces having previously used armed FPV drones to conduct roadside ambushes.
    — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Stassi is no stranger to an ambush; one of her most iconic Vanderpump Rules scenes remains one of the best ambushes reality TV’s ever seen.
    — Caroline Framke, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of ambushes
Verb
  • His greatness is never in question, but to have the league at a standstill because of a 41-year-old free agent amazes me.
    — Chris Branch, New York Times, 17 July 2026
  • This technology still amazes me.
    — Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 8 June 2026
Definition of amazes
Verb
  • The hydrogen peroxide treatment then attacks the remaining dye-cotton linkages and removes residual color.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The stories of two high schoolers, Jules and Quinn, entwine on May 1, the day a serial killer attacks one of them.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of attacks
Noun
  • Many reported the worst jolts to the head coming near the end.
    — Blake Ellis, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
  • There are no lyrics, no mixing inconsistencies, no jolts of experimental hiss.
    — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 30 July 2026
Definition of jolts
Noun
  • Speaking with the New York Times in December, Teresa Griffin, a wildlife manager with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, shared that the group traps and releases about 60 beavers a year.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
  • From plates and knives not being clean to flies stuck on traps, health inspectors in Missouri and Kansas found numerous violations at Kansas City-area restaurants last week.
    — Joseph Hernandez August 31, Kansas City Star, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of traps
Verb
  • Innanen stuns as Paul Baker — full name all the time — a Canadian newcomer to the group who becomes integral to his friends’ emotional processing all while operating as the resident Gen-Z eye candy.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Princess Kate stuns at Wimbledon 2026, hands out tickets to fansNeed a news break?
    — Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of stuns

Browse Nearby Words

surprised
surprises
surprising
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Surprises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surprises. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dissonant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All