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Definitions

taken aback









ADJECTIVE
surprised
Synonyms
Antonyms


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.

During his run, he said, he was taken aback by sights such as a North Korean raising a poodle’s paw to wave at runners.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

Nash said: "I was taken aback that we were able to date it and analyse the pigments. This is an exciting rediscovery, significant in understanding what was going on in Wales in the deep past."

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

When it debuted in March 2021, the health-focused Goop Kitchen had so many orders that even Paltrow was taken aback.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

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

Gauguin is taken aback by what he sees as Vincent’s disorderliness, both in painting and in life.

From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman




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