taken aback
English
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taken aback
Where it comes from
From taken + aback, first attested in 1840.
adjective more taken aback · most taken aback
- Surprised, shocked. It was a casual sneer, obviously one of a long line. There was hatred behind it, but of a quiet, chronic type, nothing new or unduly virulent, and he was taken aback by the flicker of amazed incredulity that passed over the younger man's ravaged face.
- Said of a ship, when the wind, suddenly changing, forces the sails aft against the mast.
verb
- past participle of take aback
Translations
Every language
adj surprised, shocked
| Español | sorprendido, desconcertado, estupefacto, atónito, consternado |
|---|---|
| हिन्दी | चकित cakit |
| Français | surpris, décontenancé, pris de court |
| Deutsch | erschrocken |
| Italiano | preso alla sprovvista |
| Tiếng Việt | sửng sốt, ngạc nhiên |
Talk about this word "taken aback." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/taken%20aback. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. taken aback. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/taken%20aback "taken aback." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/taken%20aback.Cite this
@misc{taken_aback_2026,
title = {taken aback},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/taken%20aback},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
