Meaning & use
taken aback
Feeling sudden surprise or shock, often because of something unexpected.
See it in a sentence
I was taken aback when my quiet coworker suddenly announced his resignation.
She looked taken aback by the blunt criticism during the meeting.
A note on using this word
It always follows a form of be or look, as in was taken aback, never used as an active verb.
Words with a similar meaning
startledstunned
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
unfazed
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