as in suddenly
without warning
completely taken aback by the neighbors' announcement that they were moving
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Example Sentences
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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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Why is the team suddenly playing stellar defense, after inconsistent performances all season?—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
10 May 2026
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And when Jalen Brunson banked in a floater with just under four minutes left in the period — a sequence that sent Maxey into frustration and head coach Nick Nurse calling a timeout — the Knicks’ lead suddenly swelled to 12.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
Adverb
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Lemming leans all the way into the chaos and brings us on an absurdly fun journey with unexpectedly sweet relationship work.—
Erin La Rosa,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
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The process of examining financing options and budgeting applications enables users to control their immediate expenses, which arise from medical emergencies that occur unexpectedly.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Aback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aback. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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