Expressing a sudden shock, surprise, or piece of unexpected news can be tough when your words fall flat. Simply saying “surprise” or “shock” often lacks the nuance to convey the full range of emotions.
This article explores the dramatic world of Idioms About Surprise, giving you the tools to articulate everything from mild astonishment to total disbelief with native-like flair. Elevate your vocabulary and make your descriptions of the unexpected more impactful and memorable.
Best Idioms About Surprise
1. Out of the blue
Meaning: Completely unexpectedly, without any warning.
In a Sentence:
Her resignation came completely out of the blue.
He called me out of the blue after years of no contact.
Other Ways to Say: Unexpectedly, Suddenly, Without warning, Abruptly
2. Bolt from the blue
Meaning: A sudden, unexpected, and often shocking piece of news or event.
In a Sentence:
The news of his death was a bolt from the blue.
The company’s announcement was a bolt from the blue for all the employees.
Other Ways to Say: Shocking surprise, Unexpected news, Sudden shock, Startling event
3. Caught off guard
Meaning: Surprised by something unexpected and therefore unprepared.
In a Sentence:
The difficult question caught her off guard.
The sudden rainstorm caught us off guard.
Other Ways to Say: Unprepared, Surprised, Taken aback, Unready
4. Taken aback
Meaning: Shocked or surprised by something, causing one to pause.
In a Sentence:
I was taken aback by his rude comments.
The sheer beauty of the landscape left me taken aback.
Other Ways to Say: Surprised, Shocked, Stunned, Flustered
5. Drop a bombshell
Meaning: To reveal a shocking or very surprising piece of news.
In a Sentence:
She dropped a bombshell by announcing she was leaving the country.
The CEO dropped a bombshell about the company’s merger.
Other Ways to Say: Reveal shocking news, Spring a surprise, Make a startling announcement
6. Jaw-dropping
Meaning: So surprising or impressive that it makes one’s jaw literally drop open.
In a Sentence:
The special effects in the movie were jaw-dropping.
The view from the top of the mountain was jaw-dropping.
Other Ways to Say: Stunning, Astonishing, Amazing, Incredible
7. Like a thunderbolt
Meaning: Sudden, powerful, and shocking.
In a Sentence:
The realization hit him like a thunderbolt.
His words struck her like a thunderbolt.
Other Ways to Say: Suddenly and powerfully, With great shock, Abruptly, Like a bombshell
8. Come out of nowhere
Meaning: To appear or happen suddenly and without warning.
In a Sentence:
The car came out of nowhere and nearly hit me.
His success seemed to come out of nowhere.
Other Ways to Say: Appear suddenly, Happen unexpectedly, Emerge suddenly
9. Knock your socks off
Meaning: To impress or surprise someone greatly.
In a Sentence:
Her performance was so good, it’s going to knock your socks off.
The food at that restaurant will knock your socks off.
Other Ways to Say: Impress greatly, Astonish, Amaze, Wow
10. Blow your mind
Meaning: To be overwhelmed with a powerful feeling, often of astonishment or admiration.
In a Sentence:
The documentary about the universe really blew my mind.
His incredible musical talent will blow your mind.
Other Ways to Say: Astonish, Amaze, Impress, Overwhelm
11. Caught by surprise
Meaning: Surprised by an unexpected event. (Similar to ‘caught off guard’).
In a Sentence:
The sudden question caught him by surprise.
We were caught by surprise when they announced the party.
Other Ways to Say: Surprised, Unprepared, Shocked, Taken aback
12. Out of left field
Meaning: Unexpected, unusual, or strange.
In a Sentence:
His suggestion came completely out of left field.
That comment was a bit out of left field, don’t you think?
Other Ways to Say: Unexpected, Odd, Strange, Unconventional
13. Like a bolt from the sky
Meaning: A sudden, unexpected, and shocking event. (Same as ‘bolt from the blue’).
In a Sentence:
The news of the scandal came like a bolt from the sky.
Her decision to quit hit the team like a bolt from the sky.
Other Ways to Say: Sudden shock, Unexpected surprise, Abruptly
14. Stop dead in your tracks
Meaning: To suddenly stop moving because of a feeling of shock, fear, or surprise.
In a Sentence:
I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw the snake on the path.
The shocking news made her stop dead in her tracks.
Other Ways to Say: Freeze, Halt suddenly, Be stunned, Be paralyzed with surprise
15. Jump out of your skin
Meaning: To be startled or frightened very suddenly.
In a Sentence:
The loud noise made me jump out of my skin.
He jumped out of his skin when I tapped him on the shoulder.
Other Ways to Say: Be startled, Be frightened, Get a fright, Jump with surprise
Related Post: 50 Idioms for Laughing and Joyful Moments
16. A rude awakening
Meaning: A shocking or unpleasant realization or event that forces one to face a harsh reality.
In a Sentence:
Losing his job was a rude awakening to the reality of the economy.
His failure on the test was a rude awakening that he needed to study more.
Other Ways to Say: Harsh reality, Unpleasant realization, Shocking truth
17. Hit like a ton of bricks
Meaning: To have a very strong and often negative impact on someone, especially emotionally.
In a Sentence:
The news of her illness hit me like a ton of bricks.
The gravity of the situation hit him like a ton of bricks.
Other Ways to Say: Hit hard, Be very shocking, Be overwhelming, Devastate
18. Out of the clear blue sky
Meaning: Completely unexpected and sudden. (Similar to ‘out of the blue’).
In a Sentence:
He showed up at my door out of the clear blue sky.
The idea came to me out of the clear blue sky.
Other Ways to Say: Unexpectedly, Suddenly, Without warning, Randomly
19. Shock to the system
Meaning: A sudden and severe shock, either emotional or physical.
In a Sentence:
The cold water was a real shock to the system.
The sudden change in management was a shock to the system.
Other Ways to Say: Severe shock, Jolt, Sudden impact, Drastic change
20. Blindsided
Meaning: To be attacked or surprised from an unexpected direction; to be hit with an unforeseen problem.
In a Sentence:
I was blindsided by the sudden layoff announcement.
The company was blindsided by the new competitor.
Other Ways to Say: Surprised, Unprepared, Caught off guard, Unforeseen
21. Catch you off balance
Meaning: To surprise someone and make them feel unsteady or flustered.
In a Sentence:
The question about my past caught me off balance.
The unexpected turn of events caught everyone off balance.
Other Ways to Say: Unsettle, Surprise, Fluster, Disconcert
22. Like a deer in headlights
Meaning: Frozen in place with a look of fear or surprise.
In a Sentence:
When the teacher asked him the question, he just stared back like a deer in headlights.
I felt like a deer in headlights when I was asked to give a speech.
Other Ways to Say: Frozen with fear, Shocked and unable to act, Paralyzed
23. Throw for a loop
Meaning: To confuse or surprise someone with an unexpected event or piece of information.
In a Sentence:
The sudden change in plans threw me for a loop.
Her strange behavior threw everyone for a loop.
Other Ways to Say: Confuse, Perplex, Baffle, Disconcert
24. Gobsmacked
Meaning: (British English, informal) Utterly astonished or surprised.
In a Sentence:
I was absolutely gobsmacked by the result of the election.
He was gobsmacked when he saw the surprise party.
Other Ways to Say: Stunned, Flabbergasted, Speechless, Astonished
25. Take the wind out of your sails
Meaning: To cause someone to lose their confidence, enthusiasm, or momentum.
In a Sentence:
The negative feedback from his boss took the wind out of his sails.
Her rude comment really took the wind out of my sails.
Other Ways to Say: Discourage, Demoralize, Dishearten, Thwart
26. Spring a surprise
Meaning: To surprise someone with an unexpected event, piece of news, or gift.
In a Sentence:
They decided to spring a surprise party on him for his birthday.
The government sprang a surprise on the public with the new tax.
Other Ways to Say: Surprise, Astonish, Drop a bombshell, Unveil unexpectedly
27. Out of the woodwork
Meaning: To emerge or appear from a hidden or unexpected place.
In a Sentence:
Old friends started coming out of the woodwork after he won the lottery.
The critics came out of the woodwork after the company’s failure.
Other Ways to Say: Emerge unexpectedly, Appear from nowhere, Surface suddenly
28. Come as a shock
Meaning: To be a great surprise, often an unpleasant one.
In a Sentence:
The bad news came as a shock to the entire family.
Her resignation came as a shock to everyone in the office.
Other Ways to Say: Be a surprise, Be startling, Be a jolt
29. Pull the rug from under
Meaning: To suddenly remove support from someone or something; to unexpectedly thwart a plan.
In a Sentence:
The bank pulled the rug from under them by revoking the loan.
His business partners pulled the rug from under him by selling their shares.
Other Ways to Say: Betray, Undermine, Thwart, Abandon
30. Eyes pop out
Meaning: To look at something with great astonishment or surprise.
In a Sentence:
His eyes popped out when he saw the price tag on the car.
The children’s eyes popped out at the sight of the huge cake.
Other Ways to Say: Be astonished, Be shocked, Be amazed
31. Stunned silence
Meaning: A moment of complete silence caused by shock or astonishment.
In a Sentence:
There was a stunned silence in the room after the announcement.
The magician’s final trick was met with stunned silence.
Other Ways to Say: Shocked quiet, Moment of awe, Speechless silence
32. Like lightning from a clear sky
Meaning: A sudden and completely unexpected event. (Similar to ‘bolt from the blue’).
In a Sentence:
The fire alarm went off like lightning from a clear sky.
The new law was passed like lightning from a clear sky.
Other Ways to Say: Abruptly, Suddenly, Unexpectedly, Shockingly
33. Drop a brick
Meaning: (British English) To say something tactless or embarrassing by accident. (Often used with the verb ‘to drop’).
In a Sentence:
I think I dropped a brick when I asked about his ex-wife.
He’s always dropping a brick in social situations.
Other Ways to Say: Make a gaffe, Say something inappropriate, Put your foot in your mouth
34. A curveball
Meaning: An unexpected and tricky problem or piece of information. (From baseball).
In a Sentence:
The new tax rule was a real curveball for small businesses.
The interviewer threw me a curveball by asking a personal question.
Other Ways to Say: Unexpected problem, Surprise difficulty, Unforeseen challenge
35. Knock you sideways
Meaning: To have a powerful and often negative impact on someone, emotionally or physically.
In a Sentence:
The bad news about his family really knocked him sideways.
The force of the wave knocked her sideways.
Other Ways to Say: Devastate, Shock, Overwhelm, Impact strongly
Related Post: 50 Idioms for Scared to Make Fear Fun to Say
36. Out of thin air
Meaning: To appear or happen suddenly from nowhere.
In a Sentence:
The car appeared out of thin air, almost causing an accident.
He pulled the solution to the problem out of thin air.
Other Ways to Say: Suddenly, From nowhere, Unexpectedly, Magically
37. A jaw-dropper
Meaning: A surprising or amazing event, fact, or thing.
In a Sentence:
The final twist in the movie was a real jaw-dropper.
His collection of vintage cars is a jaw-dropper.
Other Ways to Say: Stunner, Astonishing thing, Shocking event, Amazing sight
38. Left speechless
Meaning: So surprised or shocked that one is unable to speak.
In a Sentence:
The incredible magic trick left the audience speechless.
Her emotional speech left me speechless.
Other Ways to Say: Stunned, Flabbergasted, Awed, Mute with surprise
39. Hit from left field
Meaning: To be surprised or confronted by an idea or event that is strange or unexpected. (Similar to ‘out of left field’).
In a Sentence:
The company’s new policy seemed to come out of left field.
That question really hit from left field during the interview.
Other Ways to Say: Come unexpectedly, Be strange, Be unconventional
40. Like a bolt out of the blue
Meaning: A sudden and shocking event. (Same as ‘bolt from the blue’).
In a Sentence:
The news of her promotion came like a bolt out of the blue.
His sudden departure was like a bolt out of the blue.
Other Ways to Say: Sudden shock, Unexpected surprise, Abruptly
41. Shock and awe
Meaning: To overwhelm an opponent or audience with a powerful, sudden, and devastating display of force or skill.
In a Sentence:
The team won with a strategy of shock and awe.
The new product launch was a display of shock and awe.
Other Ways to Say: Overwhelm with force, Impress powerfully, Stun with a display
42. Catch with your pants down
Meaning: To discover or surprise someone in a very embarrassing or unprepared situation.
In a Sentence:
The audit caught the department with its pants down.
I was caught with my pants down when my boss came into the office just as I was about to leave.
Other Ways to Say: Unprepared, Embarrassed, Caught unready, Vulnerable
43. Out of the ordinary
Meaning: Unusual, surprising, or different from what is normal.
In a Sentence:
Her talent is truly out of the ordinary.
That’s a very out-of-the-ordinary way to solve the problem.
Other Ways to Say: Unusual, Uncommon, Remarkable, Special
44. A shocker
Meaning: A shocking or surprising event or piece of news.
In a Sentence:
The final result of the game was a real shocker.
The twist ending of the movie was a shocker.
Other Ways to Say: Surprise, Astonishing event, Jolt
45. Blow you away
Meaning: To impress or overwhelm someone greatly. (Similar to ‘blow your mind’).
In a Sentence:
The singer’s voice will absolutely blow you away.
The beauty of the landscape blew me away.
Other Ways to Say: Impress greatly, Astonish, Amaze, Wow
46. Come from nowhere
Meaning: To appear or happen suddenly and without warning. (Same as ‘come out of nowhere’).
In a Sentence:
His victory came from nowhere, as he was a complete underdog.
The idea for the book came from nowhere.
Other Ways to Say: Emerge suddenly, Appear unexpectedly
47. Like a bombshell
Meaning: Sudden, surprising, and often devastating news.
In a Sentence:
The news of his affair hit his family like a bombshell.
Her announcement dropped like a bombshell in the meeting.
Other Ways to Say: Shocking news, Devastating surprise, Startling revelation
48. Take by storm
Meaning: To be extremely successful and popular very quickly.
In a Sentence:
The new pop star has taken the music world by storm.
The company’s innovative product took the market by storm.
Other Ways to Say: Become popular quickly, Be a huge success, Be a sensation
49. A bolt from the heavens
Meaning: A sudden, unexpected, and often dramatic event, either good or bad. (Same as ‘bolt from the blue’).
In a Sentence:
His lottery win was a bolt from the heavens.
The lawsuit was a bolt from the heavens for the small company.
Other Ways to Say: Sudden event, Unexpected surprise, Shocking happening
50. Flabbergasted
Meaning: Greatly surprised or astonished.
In a Sentence:
I was absolutely flabbergasted when she told me the news.
The audience was flabbergasted by the magic trick.
Other Ways to Say: Astonished, Stunned, Speechless, Dumbfounded
Exercise to Practice – Idioms about Surprise
- The news that he was moving to another country came completely _________________________ to his friends.
- I was so _________________________ when I saw the final price of the car; it was much higher than I expected.
- The magician’s last trick was so amazing that it left the entire audience _________________________.
- His calm exterior hid the fact that the company’s financial crisis had him completely _________________________.
- She was completely _________________________ by the sudden change in plans and didn’t know what to do.
- The new regulations for small businesses were a real _________________________ from the government.
- The final plot twist in the movie was a real _________________________ and nobody saw it coming.
- I tried to act cool, but when the ghost popped out of the closet, I nearly _________________________.
- He was so astonished by the news that he was _________________________.
- His rude comment in the middle of the meeting was a real _________________________.
Answer Key
- out of the blue (or out of the clear blue sky, or like a thunderbolt)
- flabbergasted (or gobsmacked, or taken aback)
- left speechless (or stunned silence)
- blindsided (or caught off guard)
- thrown for a loop (or caught off balance)
- curveball (or bombshell, or shock to the system)
- jaw-dropper (or shocker)
- jumped out of my skin
- left speechless (or gobsmacked, or flabbergasted)
- drop a brick (or foul ball)
Conclusion
So, no more being left speechless! With these Idioms About Surprise, you’re now equipped to articulate every twist and turn with impactful, native-like language. Confidently weave these phrases into your conversations and make your descriptions of the unexpected truly unforgettable!
Danny Weber is a language enthusiast and freelance writer with a passion for unpacking the beauty of idioms and metaphors. Through years of research and creative exploration, Danny helps readers understand the deeper meanings behind familiar phrases—making figurative language feel accessible, engaging, and alive. Whether he’s decoding classic sayings or crafting new twists on old expressions, Danny’s work invites you to see language with fresh eyes.
