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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.

BP directors and company outsiders were at times taken aback by how assured Manifold seemed even before he had met with business heads, people familiar with the discussions said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 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

Logan says he was taken aback by the offer and promptly alerted his former employers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

I sat in these meetings, engrossed and somewhat taken aback by the fact that I knew so little about military life.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama




Vocabulary lists containing aback


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