spring a surprise

idiom

: to do, ask, or say something that is not expected

Everyone knows she's not likely to spring a surprise.

The teacher sprang a surprise on us and gave a quiz.

Examples of spring a surprise in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

And yet the ‘free hit’ mentality may well be just what the country needs to spring a surprise. —

Aleks Klosok, CNN, 11 June 2024 Now, Foals can spring a surprise of their own by beating Drake to the U.K. chart title. —

Lars Brandle, Billboard, 21 June 2022 Even at 96, the Queen can still spring a surprise. —

Max Foster and Rob Picheta, CNN, 10 June 2022 Can the upstart Memphis Grizzlies spring a surprise? —

USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2022 Political observers had long suspected Duterte could spring a surprise, such as a presidential run by his daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio, next year. —

NBC News, 2 Oct. 2021 Evans started the meet by spring a surprise victory in the girls 4x800 relay. —

Buddy Collings, orlandosentinel.com, 8 May 2021

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“Spring a surprise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spring%20a%20surprise. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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