surprised from

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "surprised from" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression is "surprised by," which is used to indicate the source of surprise. Example: "I was surprised by the unexpected news of her promotion."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

I was also pleasantly surprised from time to time.

The New York Times

"I thought he did a good job, so I'm surprised from that standpoint".

The New York Times - Sports

That might not have surprised from Algeria, but the transformation in Russia was striking.

The Guardian - Sport

A friend returned surprised from a meeting of funders held on the sidelines of the Paris negotiations.

The Guardian

"Brittney Griner changes the game, but I'd be surprised from what I've seen if Baylor can compete with them for 40 minutes," he said.

The New York Times - Sports

"But what's a thong?" Mr. Feingold, who took a seat on the Foreign Relations Committee despite warnings it was in decline, offers his own warning - that in the days since Sept. 11, America has become too inwardly focused and could again find itself surprised from overseas.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

This may surprise from a policy perspective.

Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training

So can we expect another "January surprise" from Costco next month?

Forbes

Sometimes, when a friend or colleague announces her separation, I'm not surprised - from the outside, it was obvious that the relationship had moved irretrievably beyond the breaking point.

Huffington Post

Staff are far from surprised.

The Guardian

But really, I was far from surprised.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "surprised by", "surprised at", or another grammatically correct alternative. The phrase "surprised from" is considered incorrect in standard English.

Common error

Avoid using "from" after "surprised". The correct prepositions are "by" or "at", depending on the nuance you want to convey. Using "from" will make your sentence grammatically incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "surprised from" functions as a passive construction aiming to express unexpectedness. However, it violates standard English grammar rules regarding preposition usage. Ludwig AI indicates this phrase as incorrect, and correct usage is to use "surprised by" or "surprised at" instead.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "surprised from" appears in some sources, including news outlets, it is considered grammatically incorrect according to Ludwig AI. The correct alternatives are "surprised by" or "surprised at", which should be used in standard English writing. The phrase's intended purpose is to express unexpectedness. Though it is found across varied contexts, prioritizing grammatical accuracy dictates using the appropriate alternatives, especially in formal settings. Despite its existence in some authoritative sources, adherence to grammatical norms is essential.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Surprised by

Uses the correct preposition 'by' to indicate the cause of surprise.

Astonished by

Replaces 'surprised' with a stronger synonym, 'astonished', while maintaining correct grammar.

Taken aback by

Employs an idiomatic expression indicating a mild shock or surprise.

Surprised at

Uses the preposition 'at', which is sometimes interchangeable with 'by' but can imply a slightly different nuance.

Unexpectedly

Adverb that captures the idea of something happening in a way that wasn't anticipated.

Caught off guard by

Indicates a lack of preparedness for something surprising.

Startled by

Focuses on the suddenness of the surprise.

Amazed by

Replaces 'surprised' with 'amazed' to express a sense of wonder and delight.

Dumbfounded by

Emphasizes the bewilderment caused by the surprise.

Stunned by

Implies a stronger, more overwhelming surprise.

FAQs

How to correctly use the word "surprised" with a preposition?

Use "surprised by" or "surprised at". For instance, "I was "surprised by" the unexpected news", or "She was "surprised at" his reaction".

What can I say instead of "surprised from"?

Since "surprised from" is grammatically incorrect, use alternatives like "surprised by", "astonished by", or "taken aback by" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "surprised from" or "surprised by"?

"Surprised by" is correct. "Surprised from" is not standard English. Always use ""surprised by"" to indicate the cause of your surprise.

What's the difference between "surprised by" and "surprised at"?

"Surprised by" generally refers to being surprised by an event or piece of news. "Surprised at" usually refers to being surprised at someone's actions or behavior. Both are correct, but they have slightly different usages and "surprised at" can be used more infrequently.