surprised
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/sərˈpraɪzd/
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A reaction to something unexpected, and the past-tense form for something that caused that reaction.
Examples
I was surprised to find the door unlocked.
The magician's trick surprised the crowd.
The sudden announcement surprised the staff.
The unexpected gift surprised her on her birthday.
The answer had surprised even the experts.
Similar words
startled
astonished
stunned
amazed
taken aback
amazed
shocked
shocked
astonished
stunned
Meanings
Examples
She was surprised by the sudden thunder.
I was surprised to find the door unlocked.
The team looked surprised by the decision.
Nobody seemed surprised at the delay.
He felt genuinely surprised by their kindness.
They were pleasantly surprised by the results.
Are you surprised at the answer?
Similar words
astonished
amazed
startled
stunned
shocked
taken aback
Examples
The loud crash surprised everyone in the hallway.
The unexpected gift surprised her on her birthday.
The sudden announcement surprised the staff.
The magician's trick surprised the crowd.
The early snow surprised the farmers.
The answer had surprised even the experts.
Similar words
astonished
amazed
startled
stunned
shocked
caught off guard
Etymology
From surprise plus the regular -ed ending. The adjective is recorded from the early 1600s as a past-participle adjective.
FAQ
What does surprised mean?
Surprised means feeling or showing surprise because something unexpected happened or was learned.
Is surprised an adjective or a verb?
It can be both. Surprised is an adjective in She was surprised, and the past tense or past participle of surprise in The news surprised her.
What is the difference between surprised and surprising?
Surprised describes the person having the reaction, while surprising describes the thing that causes the reaction.
Which preposition follows surprised?
Common patterns include surprised by, surprised at, and surprised to before a verb.
Can I surprised be correct?
I surprised them is correct when I caused the surprise. I was surprised is needed when I felt the surprise.
Where does surprised come from?
Surprised comes from surprise with the regular -ed ending, and the adjective developed from the past participle.
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