by surprise

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Some of them squawked about the slush fund in ways that took me by surprise.

From Slate • Jun. 9, 2026

Bilton was named to the post last week, an announcement that caught many in the media industry by surprise.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026

And so when she hears it again, it takes her by surprise.

From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026

These events are a reminder of how we are completely taken by surprise, and how such short spaces of time show the limits of traditional warning systems.

From Science Daily • May 21, 2026

On December 16, 1944, more than 200,000 German soldiers—including the SS-HJ—waded through deep snow and took the American army by surprise.

From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti