Definition

The act of causing someone to feel surprised or the condition of being taken by surprise.

Example

The surprisal of the unexpected news left everyone speechless.

Conversation

I was really caught off guard by the surprisal party they threw for me.

I know, right? They did such a great job keeping it a secret!

I couldn't believe how many friends showed up; it was so amazing.

It was definitely a memorable night, thanks to that wonderful surprisal!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Surprisal is formed from "surprise" (from Old French *surprendre*, meaning to take over or seize) and the suffix "-al" (meaning relating to). The word "surprisal" refers to the act or instance of surprising someone or something.

Memory Tip

Think of the act of 'seizing' or 'taking over' ('surprendre') unexpectedly, which helps you remember that 'surprisal' is about the occurrence of a surprise.

Visually Confused Words