complete surprise

collocation in English

meaningsofcompleteandsurprise

These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withsurprise.
complete
adjective
uk
/kəmˈpliːt/us
/kəmˈpliːt/
very great or to the largest ...
See more atcomplete
surprise
noun
uk
/səˈpraɪz/us
/sɚˈpraɪz/
an ...
See more atsurprise

(Definition ofcompleteandsurprisefrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)

Examplesofcomplete surprise

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
In fact, most evincedcompletesurprisethat their speech was of interest in the study.
From theCambridge English Corpus
In retrospect, the coup did not come as acompletesurprise.
From theCambridge English Corpus
What we perceive can come as acompletesurpriseto us.
From theCambridge English Corpus
After all, it came as acompletesurprisethat the vote was planned for 12.00 p.m.
FromEuroparl Parallel Corpus - English
For many of us, it was acompletesurprisewhen the proposals were announced.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Without the certainty ofcompletesurprise, no one could be quite sure that a gas attack would be worth trying.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Apparently it came to him as acompletesurprise.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
The news of the report came as acompletesurprise.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
This has come as acompletesurpriseto me as well.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
No one ever tells them that, and it comes to all of them as acompletesurprise.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
In any event, it all came as acompletesurpriseto the general public.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Does he realise that, or will the further discouragement of investment strike them withcompletesurprise?
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It always seems to me to come as acompletesurpriseto politicians how countries get in debt.
FromEuroparl Parallel Corpus - English
Therefore,completesurpriseis rendered impossible and the danger of retaliation rendered all the more certain.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I must say that this letter came as acompletesurpriseto me.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
But it is not acompletesurpriseand it can be regarded as a question of degree and timing.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
The elaborate precautions taken resulted incompletesurprise.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It has come as acompletesurpriseto them and appears to be designed to downgrade and reprimand people without sacking them under the procedure.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I am reliably informed that paragraph 195 came as acompletesurpriseto him.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I admit that this was acompletesurpriseto me.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Want to learn more?
Go to the definition ofcomplete
Go to the definition ofsurprise
See other collocations withsurprise