Sometimes in life, things catch us off guard. It could be a birthday party, a surprise gift, or even hearing unexpected news. In the United States, people often use idioms to talk about how surprised they feel. These short, fun phrases help describe shock, amazement, or excitement in a creative way.
Whether it’s a pleasant surprise or something funny and sudden, idioms make it easier to share those feelings. From hearing someone say they were “blown away” to describing an event as “out of the blue,” these sayings are common in everyday conversations. This article will explore idioms for surprise—including idioms for pleasant surprises and some funny ones too—so you can understand and use them the way Americans do.
Idioms for Surprise
1. Out of the blue
Meaning: Something that happens suddenly and without warning
Example Sentence:
• The letter came out of the blue.
• He called me out of the blue after five years.
Other ways to say: Unexpectedly, all of a sudden
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of a lightning bolt suddenly flashing in a clear blue sky.
Usage: Used for surprise visits or news
2. Blow someone away
Meaning: To impress or surprise someone a lot
Example Sentence:
• The magic show blew me away.
• Her singing really blew everyone away.
Other ways to say: Shocked, amazed
Fun Fact/Origin: Originally meant being swept off your feet, like by a strong wind.
Usage: Often used to describe pleasant surprises
3. Caught off guard
Meaning: Surprised when not expecting anything
Example Sentence:
• I was caught off guard by the pop quiz.
• The loud noise caught her off guard.
Other ways to say: Surprised, unprepared
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from sports, where a guard isn’t ready to defend.
Usage: Common in school or sports talk
4. Jump out of your skin
Meaning: To be very startled or scared
Example Sentence:
• I jumped out of my skin when I heard the thunder.
• That loud bang made me jump out of my skin.
Other ways to say: Get scared, startled
Fun Fact/Origin: A fun way to describe a strong reaction
Usage: Often used when reacting to sudden loud sounds
5. Like a deer in headlights
Meaning: Shocked and unable to move or speak
Example Sentence:
• When the teacher asked him a question, he froze like a deer in headlights.
• She looked like a deer in headlights during the interview.
Other ways to say: Frozen, speechless
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from how real deer react when they see bright car lights
Usage: Used when someone is surprised and stuck
6. Drop a bombshell
Meaning: To share shocking or unexpected news
Example Sentence:
• He dropped a bombshell when he said he was moving to Alaska.
• The coach dropped a bombshell by quitting the team.
Other ways to say: Shock everyone, surprise news
Fun Fact/Origin: Based on the idea of a real bomb suddenly exploding
Usage: Often about serious or big surprises
7. Take someone by surprise
Meaning: To surprise someone without warning
Example Sentence:
• The early snowstorm took the town by surprise.
• Her great idea took the class by surprise.
Other ways to say: Surprise, shock
Fun Fact/Origin: Often used in books and news
Usage: Works for any kind of surprise
8. Make your jaw drop
Meaning: To be very shocked or amazed
Example Sentence:
• Her Halloween costume made my jaw drop.
• That roller coaster ride made my jaw drop.
Other ways to say: Very amazed, stunned
Fun Fact/Origin: When someone is very surprised, their mouth might drop open
Usage: Often used for fun or exciting surprises
9. Not believe your eyes
Meaning: To be so surprised that something seems unreal
Example Sentence:
• I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the cake.
• He didn’t believe his eyes when the dog opened the door.
Other ways to say: Shocked, amazed
Fun Fact/Origin: A way of saying something looks too strange or cool to be true
Usage: Common for fun and amazing events
10. Fall out of your chair
Meaning: To be extremely surprised or shocked
Example Sentence:
• I nearly fell out of my chair when I heard the news.
• The joke was so funny, he fell out of his chair laughing.
Other ways to say: Very surprised, shocked
Fun Fact/Origin: A funny way to show big reactions
Usage: Works for funny or big surprises
11. Hit the roof
Meaning: To suddenly get very angry or shocked
Example Sentence:
• Dad hit the roof when he saw the mess.
• She hit the roof after hearing the news.
Other ways to say: Get upset, get shocked
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of someone jumping so high in anger or shock they hit the ceiling
Usage: Used for strong reactions, not always happy ones
12. Have your mind blown
Meaning: To be completely amazed or shocked
Example Sentence:
• My mind was blown by the magician’s trick.
• The video game had mind-blowing graphics.
Other ways to say: Amazed, stunned
Fun Fact/Origin: Began with sci-fi and music fans in the 1960s
Usage: Often used for awesome or pleasant surprises
13. Bite your tongue
Meaning: To stop yourself from saying something surprising
Example Sentence:
• He bit his tongue instead of yelling.
• I had to bite my tongue when I saw her haircut.
Other ways to say: Stay quiet, hold back
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom has been around since old English times
Usage: Common when someone is surprised but doesn’t want to say anything rude
14. At a loss for words
Meaning: So surprised you can’t speak
Example Sentence:
• I was at a loss for words when I got the award.
• She was at a loss for words after the surprise party.
Other ways to say: Speechless, stunned
Fun Fact/Origin: Means your brain can’t find the right words
Usage: Used in emotional or exciting situations
15. Catch your breath
Meaning: To pause after being surprised or excited
Example Sentence:
• She had to catch her breath after the race.
• I had to catch my breath when I saw the huge present.
Other ways to say: Take a moment, slow down
Fun Fact/Origin: Your breathing can change when surprised
Usage: Works for surprise or physical activity
16. Hit like a ton of bricks
Meaning: To surprise or affect someone strongly
Example Sentence:
• The bad news hit me like a ton of bricks.
• His kindness hit her like a ton of bricks.
Other ways to say: Strong shock, heavy feeling
Fun Fact/Origin: A ton of bricks is heavy, just like big emotions
Usage: Used for both happy and sad surprises
17. Pull a fast one
Meaning: To trick someone unexpectedly
Example Sentence:
• He pulled a fast one and switched the gift.
• She pulled a fast one by pretending to forget the plan.
Other ways to say: Trick, fool
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from old card games
Usage: Often a funny or sneaky surprise
18. Take it by storm
Meaning: To surprise everyone with great success
Example Sentence:
• Her singing took the school by storm.
• The new toy took the kids by storm.
Other ways to say: Win fast, surprise success
Fun Fact/Origin: From military terms about sudden action
Usage: Used when something becomes suddenly popular
19. Blow the lid off
Meaning: To reveal surprising information
Example Sentence:
• The news story blew the lid off the case.
• He blew the lid off the surprise party early.
Other ways to say: Expose, reveal
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from boiling pots spilling over
Usage: Used for sudden truth coming out
20. Go bananas
Meaning: To act wild or super excited
Example Sentence:
• The kids went bananas when they saw the clown.
• She went bananas after finding out she won.
Other ways to say: Go crazy, act wild
Fun Fact/Origin: Fun idiom that sounds silly, used in the USA since the 1960s
Usage: Often used in fun or funny surprise moments
21. Like a bolt from the blue
Meaning: A sudden surprise or shock
Example Sentence:
• The news came like a bolt from the blue.
• Her decision was like a bolt from the blue.
Other ways to say: Out of nowhere, suddenly
Fun Fact/Origin: Refers to lightning from a clear sky
Usage: Works for serious or big surprises
22. Freak out
Meaning: To get scared or overly excited
Example Sentence:
• She freaked out when she saw the spider.
• I freaked out after seeing the surprise.
Other ways to say: Panic, lose control
Fun Fact/Origin: Started with teens in the 1960s
Usage: Used for funny or scary surprise moments
23. Make someone’s day
Meaning: To give someone a very happy surprise
Example Sentence:
• The birthday card made her day.
• Seeing her favorite teacher made his day.
Other ways to say: Brighten someone’s mood
Fun Fact/Origin: Became popular from a movie line in the 1980s
Usage: Great for pleasant surprise idioms
24. Eyes like saucers
Meaning: Very wide eyes from surprise
Example Sentence:
• His eyes were like saucers when he saw the cake.
• She had eyes like saucers after hearing the news.
Other ways to say: Shocked face, wide-eyed
Fun Fact/Origin: Saucer is the small plate under a cup—big, round, and flat
Usage: Often used in cartoons or books
25. Burst out laughing
Meaning: To laugh suddenly and loudly
Example Sentence:
• We burst out laughing at the joke.
• He burst out laughing after the silly dance.
Other ways to say: Laugh loudly, crack up
Fun Fact/Origin: Describes a loud and fast reaction
Usage: Common for funny idioms for surprise
26. Boggle the mind
Meaning: To shock or confuse someone
Example Sentence:
• The puzzle boggled my mind.
• His skills boggled everyone’s minds.
Other ways to say: Confuse, amaze
Fun Fact/Origin: “Boggle” means to be overwhelmed
Usage: Often used when something feels too big or strange to believe
27. Get the shock of your life
Meaning: To be extremely surprised
Example Sentence:
• I got the shock of my life when I saw the bear.
• She got the shock of her life when he proposed.
Other ways to say: Very surprised, stunned
Fun Fact/Origin: Used for very emotional reactions
Usage: Common in both fun and serious stories
28. Scare the daylights out of
Meaning: To really scare someone
Example Sentence:
• The haunted house scared the daylights out of us.
• That prank scared the daylights out of him.
Other ways to say: Terrify, shock
Fun Fact/Origin: “Daylights” once meant a person’s senses
Usage: Often used in scary or Halloween talk
29. It knocked my socks off
Meaning: To really impress or surprise someone
Example Sentence:
• That concert knocked my socks off.
• Her dancing knocked our socks off.
Other ways to say: Impressed, amazed
Fun Fact/Origin: This is a silly, fun phrase
Usage: Great for funny and pleasant surprise idioms
30. Do a double take
Meaning: To look again because of surprise
Example Sentence:
• I did a double take when I saw the dog wearing glasses.
• He did a double take at the funny sign.
Other ways to say: Look again, surprised look
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in comedy shows
Usage: Used in both funny and weird moments
31. Flip out
Meaning: To lose control from surprise or excitement
Example Sentence:
• She flipped out when she got the puppy.
• He flipped out over the test results.
Other ways to say: Lose it, freak out
Fun Fact/Origin: Started with young people in the 1970s
Usage: Often used in playful or silly surprises
32. In for a shock
Meaning: Going to be very surprised
Example Sentence:
• You’re in for a shock when you see the new room.
• He was in for a shock at the party.
Other ways to say: Get ready to be surprised
Fun Fact/Origin: Popular in books and drama
Usage: Often used before revealing a surprise
33. Stop dead in your tracks
Meaning: To stop suddenly because of surprise
Example Sentence:
• I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw the bear.
• She stopped dead in her tracks when the lights went out.
Other ways to say: Freeze, pause
Fun Fact/Origin: First used in hunting stories
Usage: Works for fear or amazement
34. Can’t get over it
Meaning: Still surprised after a while
Example Sentence:
• I can’t get over how fun the party was.
• He can’t get over winning the contest.
Other ways to say: Still amazed, still thinking about it
Fun Fact/Origin: Means the feeling stays with you
Usage: Good for pleasant surprise idioms
35. Like a kid in a candy store
Meaning: Overjoyed or super excited
Example Sentence:
• She was like a kid in a candy store at the toy shop.
• He felt like a kid in a candy store when he saw the video games.
Other ways to say: Very happy, full of joy
Fun Fact/Origin: Candy makes kids excited—simple and sweet
Usage: A fun and funny idiom for surprise
36. Take aback
Meaning: Surprised and confused
Example Sentence:
• I was taken aback by how big the school was.
• She was taken aback by the question.
Other ways to say: Shocked, startled
Fun Fact/Origin: Old sailing term—when a ship is pushed backward by the wind
Usage: Used in polite or written English too
37. Pop up
Meaning: To appear suddenly
Example Sentence:
• A clown popped up from the box.
• A cat popped up on the screen.
Other ways to say: Show up, appear
Fun Fact/Origin: Also used for internet ads
Usage: Often used for silly or playful surprises
38. Jump out at
Meaning: To suddenly be noticed
Example Sentence:
• The bright color jumped out at me.
• The answer jumped out at her.
Other ways to say: Catch your eye, grab attention
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from visual surprises
Usage: Used for things you see quickly or clearly
39. Walk into a surprise
Meaning: To enter a place and get surprised
Example Sentence:
• He walked into a surprise birthday party.
• She walked into a room full of balloons.
Other ways to say: Find something unexpected
Fun Fact/Origin: Often used in family parties
Usage: Good for surprise events
40. Trip over your words
Meaning: To speak in a messy way because of surprise
Example Sentence:
• He tripped over his words when asking the question.
• She tripped over her words during the speech.
Other ways to say: Stumble when talking
Fun Fact/Origin: Like your mouth can’t keep up with your brain
Usage: Common in school or stage settings
41. Eyes pop out
Meaning: To look very surprised
Example Sentence:
• His eyes popped out when he saw the pizza.
• Her eyes popped out at the big gift.
Other ways to say: Very shocked, wide-eyed
Fun Fact/Origin: A cartoon-like way to show big surprise
Usage: Often used in fun stories
42. Knock the wind out of you
Meaning: To shock or surprise so much that you freeze
Example Sentence:
• That fall knocked the wind out of me.
• The news knocked the wind out of her.
Other ways to say: Shocked, stunned
Fun Fact/Origin: Based on real feeling after a fall
Usage: Works for strong emotional or physical surprises
43. Turn pale
Meaning: To lose color from being shocked
Example Sentence:
• He turned pale when he saw the snake.
• She turned pale hearing the scary story.
Other ways to say: Look scared, go white
Fun Fact/Origin: Happens when blood drains from the face in fear
Usage: Common in spooky or dramatic stories
44. Have a heart attack (not literal)
Meaning: To be suddenly shocked or scared
Example Sentence:
• I nearly had a heart attack when the balloon popped.
• He said the prank almost gave him a heart attack.
Other ways to say: Big scare, shock
Fun Fact/Origin: Not a real heart attack—just a way to show big surprise
Usage: Mostly for fun or exaggeration
45. Make someone jump
Meaning: To surprise someone suddenly
Example Sentence:
• The loud bell made me jump.
• The pop of the balloon made her jump.
Other ways to say: Startle, shock
Fun Fact/Origin: Based on the body’s quick reaction to sound
Usage: Often used for loud or sneaky surprises
Quiz: Idioms for Surprise
Instructions: Choose the best answer that shows what the idiom means. Each question has only one correct choice. These are all about idioms for surprise.
Question Key
1. What does “out of the blue” mean?
A) In the sky
B) Something that happens suddenly
C) A color
2. If someone says “I was blown away,” what do they mean?
A) They were taken by the wind
B) They were angry
C) They were amazed or very surprised
3. What does “caught off guard” mean?
A) Ready for anything
B) Not expecting something
C) On a sports team
4. If someone “jumped out of their skin,” how did they feel?
A) Hungry
B) Very surprised or scared
C) Sleepy
5. What does it mean if “your jaw drops”?
A) You have a toothache
B) You’re very shocked or amazed
C) You are chewing gum
6. “Like a deer in headlights” means:
A) You’re running fast
B) You’re frozen in surprise
C) You’re happy to see someone
7. If something “knocks your socks off,” what does it do?
A) Makes you trip
B) Takes off your shoes
C) Surprises or impresses you a lot
8. What does “freak out” mean?
A) To dance
B) To act calm
C) To be very scared or excited
9. If someone “drops a bombshell,” they are:
A) Dropping something heavy
B) Telling surprising news
C) Playing a game
10. What does “make someone jump” mean?
A) To help someone exercise
B) To surprise them
C) To raise your hand
11. “Eyes like saucers” means:
A) Your eyes are sleepy
B) Your eyes are wide with surprise
C) You’re wearing glasses
12. If someone “flips out,” what are they doing?
A) Turning upside down
B) Acting wild from surprise
C) Reading a book
13. “Burst out laughing” means:
A) Laughing quietly
B) Laughing loudly and suddenly
C) Crying
14. When someone is “at a loss for words,” they are:
A) Reading a lot
B) Confused and quiet because of surprise
C) Singing a song
15. If something “scared the daylights out of you,” how did you feel?
A) Excited
B) Really scared
C) Sleepy
Answer Key
- B – Something that happens suddenly
- C – They were amazed or very surprised
- B – Not expecting something
- B – Very surprised or scared
- B – You’re very shocked or amazed
- B – You’re frozen in surprise
- C – Surprises or impresses you a lot
- C – To be very scared or excited
- B – Telling surprising news
- B – To surprise them
- B – Your eyes are wide with surprise
- B – Acting wild from surprise
- B – Laughing loudly and suddenly
- B – Confused and quiet because of surprise
- B – Really scared
Wrapping Up
Surprises can be fun, funny, or even a little scary. In the USA, people use many different idioms to talk about how surprised they feel. Whether it’s a pleasant surprise like a birthday party or a sudden shock like loud thunder, these idioms help explain that feeling in a fun way.
Learning idioms like “out of the blue” or “knocked my socks off” makes talking more colorful and interesting. Next time something surprises you, try using one of these sayings. It’s a cool way to sound more like a native American English speaker—and it makes stories more exciting too.
