as in suddenly
without warning
completely taken aback by the neighbors' announcement that they were moving
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Recent Examples of aback
Not all of them will necessarily fall under the legislation, and any can challenge their inclusion, but the breadth of platforms Inman Grant was considering took some Australians aback and confused others.
—
Belinda Luscombe, Time, 8 Oct. 2025
Related Stories Saarinen has been voicing similar concerns for years – but the latest development still took him aback.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 18 Sep. 2025
Rodgers took some players aback by his just-one-of-the-guys approach.
—Mike Jones, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
Hashim Raza remembers being thrown aback when his son professed his love for Hussain-Raza.
—Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for aback
Belinda Luscombe, Time, 8 Oct. 2025
Related Stories Saarinen has been voicing similar concerns for years – but the latest development still took him aback.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 18 Sep. 2025
Rodgers took some players aback by his just-one-of-the-guys approach.
—Mike Jones, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
Hashim Raza remembers being thrown aback when his son professed his love for Hussain-Raza.
—Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for aback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aback
Adverb
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The Siena game, only 48 hours before, suddenly seemed like a long time ago.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Mar. 2026
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When cruising along and suddenly pressing the accelerator to pass slower traffic, the response felt more subdued than expected from a 400-plus-horsepower luxury vehicle.—
Sponsored Content,
Denver Post,
21 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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In one of those, a group of young Israeli soldiers accost Salim and Noor after the military unexpectedly pushes up the Palestinians’ curfew.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
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Eastern Idaho is where an infant, Onyxx Cooley, died suddenly and unexpectedly in February 2024.—
Audrey Dutton,
ProPublica,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Aback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aback. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
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