element of surprise

noun phrase

: the unexpected or surprising character of something

The attackers were relying on the element of surprise.

Examples of element of surprise in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

More than anything, Adult Swim is a celebration of the element of surprise. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2026

The element of surprise is harder to create when the battlefield is under constant observation. — Nadia Schadlow, Foreign Affairs, 18 Sep. 2026

Morgan liked the element of surprise inherent in the title since there are unexpected elements in some of the dog art. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 16 Aug. 2026

Manchester United were considered the frontrunners for his signature so there was an element of surprise when Spurs emerged victorious. — Thom Harris, New York Times, 31 July 2026

Rhymes for element of surprise

• operationalize
• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize