take aback

verb

took aback; taken aback; taking aback; takes aback
Synonyms of take abacknext
: to surprise or shock (someone)
—usually used as (be) taken aback
When I told him my answer, he seemed taken aback.
—often + by
He was taken aback by her answer.

Examples of take aback in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Which is why they weren’t taken aback when Pulisic wasn’t among the 11. — Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 20 June 2026 And so with this, I definitely was taken aback. — Clarissa Cruz, Entertainment Weekly, 16 June 2026 Rocha says she was taken aback by Samuel’s professionalism. — Christine Terrisse, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026 Algerian striker Riyad Mahrez was taken aback when he was told about the record after the match. — Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for take aback

Rhymes for take aback

See All Rhymes for take aback

Browse Nearby Words

take
take aback
take a back seat
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Take aback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20aback. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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