taken 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.
Cruise was initially taken aback by how transformative the jowly prosthetics that artist Kazu Hiro designed for him were.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
“I was taken aback by how intense and vivid the descriptions were, and not only detailed, but very viscerally described … Mona Awad is not a generic prose writer,” Ah Sing says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
Posting social media fliers for free, I was taken aback when 80 people of all levels and backgrounds signed up for my first session, from ages 14 to 90.
From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2026
Pundits and supporters were taken aback by the switch in position and so too was the player himself.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
He could not understand why Ron looked taken aback.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
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