taken aback
IdiomsExample Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Cruise was initially taken aback by how transformative the jowly prosthetics that artist Kazu Hiro designed for him were.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
I still remember being completely taken aback by how good the food was.
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
He talked about meeting Curry at the Roxy when they were bringing the show to the U.S. and how taken aback he was to see him in character.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
Edwards, from Trebanog, said he was taken aback when he found a letter from the council on the van's dashboard: "Twenty-odd years and I have never had anything like this at all. It's unbelievable."
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
He could not understand why Ron looked taken aback.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
