plural noun
The feelings people have when several things happen that they did not expect.
The students' surprises at the answer made the teacher smile.
We could see their surprises when the gifts were opened.
American English
How to pronounce surprises
noun · verbB1Common word
suhpRAIzihz
/səpˈɹaɪ.zɪz/
3 syllables · Stress the second syllable.
Form of surprise
Surprises is both the plural of the noun surprise and the third-person singular form of the verb surprise.
The feelings people have when several things happen that they did not expect.
What to listen for
In American English, the first syllable of “surprises” has an r-colored vowel: /sɚpˈɹaɪ.zɪz/.
Meanings & examples
plural noun
Several unexpected things, often planned secretly to make people happy.
He loved planning surprises for his friends.
Unexpected guests always bring pleasant surprises.
third-person singular verb
Makes someone feel that something is different from what they expected.
The final score surprises everyone.
Her kindness surprises me every day.
third-person singular verb
Catches, finds, or meets someone when they are not ready or do not expect it.
The guard surprises the thieves while they are sleeping.
The police officer surprises the thief hiding in the garage.
Useful expressions
in a way that someone did not expect
To my surprise, the store was still open.
be unexpected
The news came as a surprise to everyone.
make someone unprepared because they did not expect something
The sudden storm caught us by surprise.