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aback

[uh-bak] / əˈbæk /
ADVERB
taken unawares
Synonyms


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Perkins said she had been taken aback by how expensive treatment can be and said she sympathised with those without insurance.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

“She was completely taken aback by it. She was like, ‘Wow, this is how it really is.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026

Smart said she was a little taken aback when she first learned how things would pan out for aging comic Deborah Vance and her mentee Ava Daniels, played by Hannah Einbinder.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

When county clerk Brianna Lennon got an email in November saying a newly expanded federal system had flagged 74 people on the county’s voter roll as potential noncitizens, she was taken aback.

From Salon • Feb. 27, 2026

The venom in his voice took me aback.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros




Vocabulary lists containing aback


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