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.
Europeans constantly seem taken aback at how seriously Americans take themselves.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
"She was a bit taken aback and said, 'Darling, nuns can't wear pretty clothes'. So I said, 'Well, I'll be an actress then.'"
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
But Rodriguez, who has endorsed Bass for mayor and is a frequent critic of Raman, said she was taken aback by Raman’s attitude at their dinner.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2026
The scourge of the royals recently has been Andrew Lownie, author of the book that revealed so much Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and he was taken aback by a "brilliant speech".
From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026
He seems taken aback, although the sneer doesn’t leave his face.
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
Definitions 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.
