by surprise

1. see take by surprise.

Example Sentences

"I hadn't played on a court with that much noise before – it caught me by surprise," said 60th-ranked Fearnley, who only made his professional debut last year.

From BBC

In a city that prides itself on its opulent image, the comments took officials by surprise.

From Los Angeles Times

Several large solar farms already have been built and are planned, and “it really hit us by surprise how many were coming to western Fresno County,” he added.

From Los Angeles Times

I imagined and reimagined the scene, watching him get caught by surprise, his eyes widening at the pain.

From Salon

And, as with millions of other viewers, the mid-film reveal — the defining moment when an alien being bursts from the chest of a space crew member — took him completely by surprise.

From Los Angeles Times