How to pronounce surprise
Say it like ser-PRYZE. Surprise has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PRYZE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce surprise. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ser
- PRYZE
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Surprise pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- serKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- PRYZESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of surprise
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: suh-PRYZE.
What does surprise mean?
- the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
- a sudden unexpected event
- the act of surprising someone
- cause to be surprised“The news really surprised me”
- come upon or take unawares“She surprised the couple”“He surprised an interesting scene”
- attack by storm; attack suddenly
Where does surprise come from?
From Middle English surprise, borrowed from Middle French surprise (“an overtake”), nominal use of the past participle of Old French sorprendre (“to overtake”), from sor- (“over”) + prendre (“to take”), from Latin super- + Latin prendere, c
Words that rhyme with surprise
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of surprise.
Questions about saying surprise
How do you pronounce surprise?
Say ser-PRYZE. The American pronunciation is /sɚˈpraɪz/. In British English it is /səˈpraɪz/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in surprise?
Surprise has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PRYZE). Broken into parts: ser · PRYZE.
Is surprise pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /səˈpraɪz/ (suh-PRYZE).