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.
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
The man was clearly taken aback, some of the other patrons chuckling in surprise, the Dodger pulse of this town clearly resonating in a completely unusual fashion.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026
Jim Clark, her eldest son, said he was "totally taken aback" to hear about North Orchard Street.
From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026
When I was reaching to increase a build, my hand brushed against his and I was taken aback by how dry and hot it was.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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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