A surprise or unexpected action taken in response to someone else's attempt to surprise you, turning the tables on them.
From counter- + surprise. The term combines the prefix counter- (meaning in return or opposite) with surprise, creating a relatively modern coinage from the 20th century to describe tactical surprise reversals.
Countersurprises are the 'gotcha back!' moments of life—in poker they're called 'traps,' in magic they're called reveals, and in history they're called ambushes; humans love the satisfaction of being one step ahead!
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