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.
“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
An invitation brings a smile to your face, but the fact that you were taken aback by the sender of the invite created just enough friction in the process to give you pause.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
Taken aback by Gavriel’s fiery outburst, Yair asks in disbelief, “why can’t we live side by side in peace?”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
He was completely taken aback by the cat’s reply.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
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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