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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.

During his run, he said, he was taken aback by sights such as a North Korean raising a poodle’s paw to wave at runners.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

When it debuted in March 2021, the health-focused Goop Kitchen had so many orders that even Paltrow was taken aback.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 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

At the start of Jeremy Vine's show on Radio 2 at midday, Vine said he was "taken aback by the story" and that he had "no further information" about it.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

Taran was so taken aback that he began to stammer.

From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander




Vocabulary lists containing aback


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