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Showing results for aback. Search instead for abhackte.
Definitions

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.

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

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

When county clerk Brianna Lennon got an email in November saying a newly expanded federal system had flagged 74 people on the county’s voter roll as potential noncitizens, she was taken aback.

From Salon • Feb. 27, 2026

The chorus of boos that greets Mr. Horner clearly takes him aback, as it does the drivers shown backstage.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026

Taken aback at my sharp tone, Mr. Lew tucked his chin.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu




Vocabulary lists containing aback