Surprise is a noun referring to a feeling of astonishment caused by something unexpected, or an event that causes such a feeling. It can also denote the act of startling someone. The term conveys both emotional reaction and the element of unpredictability, often provoking curiosity or excitement in social or situational contexts.
"Her birthday party was a wonderful surprise that made everyone cheer."
"The sudden rainstorm came as a surprise to hikers who forgot their umbrellas."
"He opened the envelope with a surprised look after reading the unexpected news."
"The party was planned as a surprise for his graduation, and he was delighted."
Surprise derives from the Old French surcreprise, a noun formed from sur- ‘over’ + reprendre ‘to take up, seize’ (related to prendre ‘to take’). The word entered English in the 16th century via Middle French, originally describing the act of seizing or overpowering, then shifting to the sense of startling or catching someone unawares. Its modern meaning—an unforeseen event provoking astonishment—emerged in the early 17th century as usage broadened beyond physical capture to emotional reaction. The component -prise evolved into “prise” and later consolidated with “sur-” to form the contemporary noun. Over time, “surprise” extended metaphorically to encompass things that pleasantly or unpleasantly disrupt expectations, evolving in phrases like “surprise party” and “surprise attack.” The evolution mirrors social English’s shift from literal seizure to cognitive-emotional response to the unexpected, with the term becoming a staple in everyday discourse and narrative language by the 1800s. First known uses appear in early modern texts where surprise described both sudden action and sudden feeling, indicating a broad semantic range that endures in today’s usage across formal and informal registers.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Surprise" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Surprise"
-ise sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /ˈsɜːrˌpraɪz/ (US: /ˈsɜːrˌpraɪz/, UK: /səˈpraɪz/, AU: /ˈsɜːˌpraɪz/). The stress is on the first syllable: SUR-prize. Start with a clear /s/ and mid/back rounded /ɜː/ or /ə/ depending on accent, then move to /r/ quickly, and end with /praɪz/ where /aɪ/ forms a rising diphthong. Mouth position: lips relaxed, tongue bunched for /ɜː/ or central /ə/; follow with a sharp /r/ and a long /aɪ/ glide. Listen to a native sample after practicing to ensure the /ɜːr/ vs /ə/ distinction is accurate.
Two common errors: (1) Misplacing stress on the second syllable, saying /ˈpraɪzər/ or /suˈpraɪz/—use primary stress on SUR and only a light secondary grouping for -prise; (2) Slurring /ɜːr/ into a simple /ər/ or mispronouncing /praɪz/ as /preɪz/—keep /praɪz/ with a clear /aɪ/ glide and avoid turning /ɪ/ into /iː/. Correct by practicing the full sequence /ˈsɜːrˌpraɪz/ in isolation, then in phrases, ensuring the /ˈsɜːr/ is rounded and the /praɪz/ is a tight, rising diphthong.
US often rhymes the /ɜːr/ with a heavier rhotic 'r' influence, yielding /ˈsɜːrˌpraɪz/. UK tends to a lighter /ɜː/ or /ə/, with less rhotic influence: /səˈpraɪz/. Australian generally allies US and UK patterns but often features a flatter /ɜː/ and a less rounded /ɔː/ in some speakers; final /aɪz/ remains a clear diphthong. Overall, rhyme with ‘sur’ + ‘prise’ but accent-driven vowel quality and rhotics change the sound of SUR and the rhotic presence. Listen to representative samples from each region and mimic the vowel length and rhotic presence.
The difficulty comes from the two-part rhythm: a stressed /ˈsɜːr/ with an immediate, triphthong-like glide into /praɪz/. The /ɜːr/ cluster can be hard for non-rhotic or rhotic speakers to render authentically, and the /aɪ/ vowel requires precise tongue height and glide control. Also, keeping syllable timing crisp—heavy first syllable, quicker second—can be tricky when talking quickly, leading to mis-stress or blending. Practice with careful emphasis on the two syllables and record yourself.
Is the final 's' in 'surprise' pronounced or silent when used as a plural? In standard usage, 'surprise' remains singular; the final 's' you hear is the plural form 'surprises.' When stressed in phrases like 'a surprise to you,' the final sound is the /z/ from -prises in plural forms. In singular form, the final sound is /z/ as in /praɪz/; the 's' is not silent.
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