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
But the Portuguese manager is entirely aware that the element of surprise — which saw Forest stun the Premier League with an approach that earned them a seventh-place finish last season — will be lost.
—
Paul Taylor, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
That element of surprise is inherently missing in the sequel, to its detriment, but screenwriters Derek Kolstad and Aaron Rabin’s simple but ingenious premise provides plenty of amusement.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2025
For both artists, the element of surprise is integral to the festival, along with having a blast performing together.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2025
Armies around the world use submarines for the element of surprise, and few operational details are shared even with the general population of the country.
—Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for element of surprise
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Paul Taylor, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
That element of surprise is inherently missing in the sequel, to its detriment, but screenwriters Derek Kolstad and Aaron Rabin’s simple but ingenious premise provides plenty of amusement.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2025
For both artists, the element of surprise is integral to the festival, along with having a blast performing together.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2025
Armies around the world use submarines for the element of surprise, and few operational details are shared even with the general population of the country.
—Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for element of surprise
Cite this Entry
“Element of surprise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/element%20of%20surprise. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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