aback
Americanadverb
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toward the back.
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Nautical. so that the wind presses against the forward side of the sail or sails.
adjective
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(of a sail) positioned so that the wind presses against the forward side.
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(of a yard) positioned so that its sail is laid aback.
idioms
adverb
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startled or disconcerted
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nautical (of a vessel or sail) having the wind against the forward side so as to prevent forward motion
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rare towards the back; backwards
Etymology
Origin of aback
First recorded before 1000; Middle English abak, Old English on bæc “to the rear”; see a- 1, on, back 1
Explanation
To be taken aback is to be taken by surprise. You might be taken aback when your grandmother suddenly demonstrates her yodeling skills. When you see the adverb aback, it almost always follows the verb "to take." When you're taken aback, you're startled, often by another person's actions. If someone makes a rude comment at a dinner party, for example, you'll be taken aback. The word dates from about 1200, and it comes from the Old English on bæc, "at or on the back." It was first used as a nautical term for a strong wind flattening the sail against the ship's mast.
Vocabulary lists containing aback
The Diary of Anne Frank
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Just Mercy
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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When Holmes later insists she has no financial interest in the film, Fielder is taken aback.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
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
Posting social media fliers for free, I was taken aback when 80 people of all levels and backgrounds signed up for my first session, from ages 14 to 90.
From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2026
Pundits and supporters were taken aback by the switch in position and so too was the player himself.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
Ba blinked at me, clearly taken aback that I was taking charge.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
