| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | something amazing; state of amazement |
| Synonyms: | abruptness, amazement, astonishment, astoundment, attack, awe, bewilderment, bombshell, consternation, curiosity, curveball, disappointment, disillusion, epiphany, eureka, eye-opener, fortune, godsend, incredulity, jolt*, kick*, marvel, miracle, miscalculation, phenomenon, portent, precipitance, precipitation, precipitousness, prodigy, rarity, revelation, shock, start, stupefaction, suddenness, thunderbolt, unexpected, unforeseen, whammy, wonder, wonderment |
| Notes: | amaze once meant 'alarm, terrify' but now means 'astonish'; surprise means 'meet with suddenly or without warning' |
| Antonyms: | expectation |
| Main Entry: | surprise |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | sneak up on; catch |
| Synonyms: | ambush, burst in on, bushwhack, capture, catch in the act, catch off-balance, catch off-guard, catch red-handed, catch unawares, come down on, discover, drop in on, grab, grasp, lay for, lie in wait, nab, seize, spring on, startle, take, take by surprise, waylay |
| Notes: | amaze once meant 'alarm, terrify' but now means 'astonish'; surprise means 'meet with suddenly or without warning' |
| Antonyms: | expect |
| Main Entry: | alarm |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | upset |
| Synonyms: | amaze, astonish, chill, daunt, dismay, distress, frighten, give a turn, make jump, panic, scare, scare silly, scare stiff, scare to death, spook, startle, surprise, terrify, unnerve |
| Antonyms: | assure, calm, gladden, reassure, repose, soothe |
| Main Entry: | ambush |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | lie in wait; attack |
| Synonyms: | ambuscade, assail, assault, box in, bushwhack, decoy, dry gulch, ensnare, entrap, hem in, hide, hook*, jap, jump, lay for, lurk, net, set trap, surprise, surround, trap, wait, waylay |
| Main Entry: | astound |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | amaze |
| Synonyms: | astonish, bewilder, blow away, bowl over, confound, confuse, daze, dumbfound, flabbergast, knock over with feather, overwhelm, shock, stagger, startle, stun, stupefy, surprise, take aback |
| Antonyms: | bore, dull |
| Main Entry: | bewilderment |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | puzzlement |
| Synonyms: | bafflement, confusion, daze, discombobulation, disorientation, perplexity, surprise |
| Main Entry: | bowl over |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | amaze |
| Synonyms: | astonish, astound, dumbfound, flabbergast, floor, stagger, startle, stun, surprise |
| Main Entry: | catch |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | find out, discover |
| Synonyms: | descry, detect, encounter, expose, hit upon, meet with, spot, surprise, take unawares, turn up, unmask |
| Antonyms: | miss, misunderstand |
| Main Entry: | confound |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | confuse |
| Synonyms: | abash, amaze, astonish, astound, baffle, befog, bewilder, blend, bug*, commingle, confute, discombobulate, discomfit, discountenance, dumbfound, embarrass, faze, fiddle, flabbergast, jumble, metagrobolize, misidentify, mix, mix up, mystify, nonplus, perplex, pose, puzzle, rattle, screw up, startle, surprise, throw* |
| Antonyms: | clarify, clear up, enlighten, explain, make clear, relate |