by surprise

Idioms and Phrases

see take by surprise .

Example Sentences

The move did not feature in Labour's election manifesto and the move, announced three weeks after its return to power, caught many MPs by surprise.

From BBC

The nomination of McMahon, a major Republican donor, caught many education experts by surprise.

From Los Angeles Times

The sexual assault accusation from 2017 quickly resurfaced, with Trump transition team members admitting that it caught them by surprise.

From Salon

The pair took their legions of fans by surprise when they announced their split.

From BBC

That’s when the military began a big push to find codebreakers to make sure the country wouldn't be taken by surprise again.

From National Geographic Kids