is surprised at vs is surprised with

Both 'is surprised at' and 'is surprised with' are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Is surprised at' is used to indicate the cause of the surprise, while 'is surprised with' is used to indicate the object of the surprise.

Last updated: March 23, 2024 • 899 views

is surprised at

Correct. 'Is surprised at' is used to indicate the cause of the surprise.

This phrase is used to express the reason or cause of someone's surprise. For example, 'She was surprised at the news of her promotion.'

Examples:

He was surprised at the sudden change in weather.
She was surprised at the results of the experiment.
They were surprised at the amount of work required.
I was surprised at how quickly he finished the project.
The students were surprised at the difficulty of the test.

Show examples from the web [+]

Is surprised at the amount of time taken to investigate the possible mismanagement of ESF funding in Madrid; encourages the Commission to bring the case to a close as soon as possible, and to clarify the entire situation in an unambiguous way;
Is surprised at the amount of time taken to investigate the possible mismanagement of European Social Fund funding in Madrid; encourages the Commission to bring the case to a close as soon as possible, and to clarify the entire situation in an unambiguous way;
is surprised at the priorities selected in the action plan and would like them to be ordered and presented in rank of importance;
Is surprised at the lack of any explicit reference to cultural issues in the Commission communication; adds that such issues cannot come down only to entrepreneurship and the use of new technologies;
Is surprised at the rather complex presentation of the report, which varies in density depending on the version concerned; would have appreciated a more systematic and more critical review;
Is surprised at the lack of any reference to fraud against the Community budget; in particular would wish to learn why no reference was made to the idea of some kind of a European Public Prosecutor whose role would be confined to fraud against the Community budget;
Similarly, the CNCDH is surprised at the work being done to transpose restrictive concepts contained in directives, which have not even been adopted by the EU Council.
On deck, the crew is surprised at what they see.
The Polish public is surprised at the report's findings and is treating it as a document which is anything but objective.
In Denmark, no one is surprised at the fact that Mr Bonde is now conducting a campaign against the new has conducted campaigns against all the treaties.
Is surprised at the indignation aroused by the publication of photographs taken at the American base at Guantanamo;
Is surprised at the decision of the Court of Justice of last July endorsing the general principle of banning vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease;
Is surprised at the EIB's statement in which it found that no fraudulent practice exists in the context of EIB Investment Facility programmes;
Is surprised at the text of the conclusions, which remains silent about the resounding failure of the euro, which has lost a quarter of its value in a few months, and about the absurd nature of the policy pursued by the European Central Bank;
is surprised at the strategy paper's failure to bring quality management into the discussion of health and safety at work, or indeed to take up the issue at all;
is surprised at the European Commission's almost complete failure to take account of recent developments in the most attractive EU cultural project - the European Capital of Culture scheme - to which it would appear to attach no strategic importance.
Is surprised at the rather complex presentation of the report, which varies in density depending on the version concerned; would have appreciated a more systematic and more critical review;

Alternatives:

was amazed by
was shocked by
was taken aback by
was astonished by
was dumbfounded by

is surprised with

Correct. 'Is surprised with' is used to indicate the object of the surprise.

This phrase is used to express what or who is causing the surprise. For example, 'She was surprised with a gift from her friend.'