catch (someone or something) by surprise
idiom
1
: to happen to (someone or something) unexpectedly : to surprise (someone or something)
The question caught him by surprise.
2
: to attack, capture, or approach (someone or something) without warning
Photographers caught the couple by surprise as they were leaving a restaurant.
Dictionary Entries Near catch (someone or something) by surprise
catch (someone or something) by surprise
Cite this Entry
“Catch (someone or something) by surprise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catch%20%28someone%20or%20something%29%20by%20surprise. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
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