Dictionary
1. (
n.) The act of coming upon, or taking, unawares; the act of seizing unexpectedly; surprisal; as, the fort was taken by surprise.
2. (n.) The state of being surprised, or taken unawares, by some act or event which could not reasonably be foreseen; emotion excited by what is sudden and strange; a suddenly excited feeling of wonder or astonishment.
3. (n.) Anything that causes such a state or emotion.
4. (n.) A dish covered with a crust of raised paste, but with no other contents.
5. (n.) To come or fall suddenly and unexpectedly; to take unawares; to seize or capture by unexpected attack.
6. (n.) To strike with wonder, astonishment, or confusion, by something sudden, unexpected, or remarkable; to confound; as, his conduct surprised me.
7. (n.) To lead (one) to do suddenly and without forethought; to bring (one) into some unexpected state; -- with into; as, to be surprised into an indiscretion; to be surprised into generosity.
8. (n.) To hold possession of; to hold.
Thesaurus
admiration amaze amazement ambush assail assault astonish astonishment astound astoundment attack awe awestrike bedaze bedazzle beguilement bewilder bewilderment blitz blockbuster blow boggle bomb bombshell bowl down bowl over breathless wonder bushwhack capture catch catch off-guard catch unawares come at come down on come from behind come upon unexpectedly confound crack down on daze dazzle descend on descend upon discomfit disconcert discover dismay do the unexpected drop in on dumbfound dumbfounder dumbfoundment earthshaker eye-opener fall on fall upon fascination faze flabbergast floor gang up on go at go for grab grasp harry have at hit hit like lightning incredulity joker jolt jump kicker land on lay at lay for lay hands on lay into light into marvel marveling mug nonplus overwhelm paralyze peripeteia perplex petrify pitch into pounce upon pound pull up short puzzlement rattle revelation rock sail into seize sense of mystery sense of wonder set on set upon shock shocker sneak attack spring a surprise spring upon stagger staggerer startle startler strike strike dead strike dumb strike with wonder stun stupefaction stupefy surprisal surprise attack surprise ending surprise package surprise party swan switch swoop down on take take aback take by surprise take short take the offensive take unawares thunderbolt thunderclap wade into waylay wonder wonderment