aback
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.
Edwards, from Trebanog, said he was taken aback when he found a letter from the council on the van's dashboard: "Twenty-odd years and I have never had anything like this at all. It's unbelievable."
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
An invitation brings a smile to your face, but the fact that you were taken aback by the sender of the invite created just enough friction in the process to give you pause.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
His mask had slid off, and Amundson was taken aback by how young he was.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
Taken aback by Gavriel’s fiery outburst, Yair asks in disbelief, “why can’t we live side by side in peace?”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
He is somewhat taken aback, though, by a conversation with Moore early into his tenure.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
Vocabulary lists containing aback
The Diary of Anne Frank
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Just Mercy
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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
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