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.
Nathalie Tocci, a former Italian government adviser who is now a politics professor at Johns Hopkins University, tells me we shouldn't be so taken aback by the protests, or the youth engagement in them.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
He seems taken aback when the bed they’ve provided has no mattress.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
When Holmes later insists she has no financial interest in the film, Fielder is taken aback.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Officials in London always knew that such a dramatic shift in policy towards Israel-Palestine was going to elicit a hostile response, but seemed taken aback by the speed and ferocity of Israel's reaction.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
Grace said, and okay, she looked pretty taken aback.
From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway
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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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