How to Use take aback in a Sentence

take aback

phrasal verb

• Even so, he was taken aback by an outline of Cyrus’s case.
  — Charles Bethea, The New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2024
• We were taken aback by the lie, and perhaps Carol was, too.
  — Charlie Mason, TVLine, 30 Sep. 2024
• Reached for comment on the phone later, La Doña was taken aback.
  — Danny Acosta, Rolling Stone, 3 Aug. 2023
• But talking to people that are my own age, even like 20, I was taken aback by it.
  — Vulture, 14 July 2023
• Many commenters were taken aback by the bathing schedule.
  — Anna Halkidis, Parents, 12 Feb. 2024
• And after the bomb was dropped, she was really taken aback by the scale of the destruction.
  — Erica Huang, Scientific American, 24 Aug. 2023
• Scherzinger herself was taken aback when Lloyd asked to meet and suggested the part some 18 months ago.
  — Roslyn Sulcas, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2023
• Howe, taken aback and upset at the $40 charge, decides against paying it.
  — Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2023
• Even the Kremlin, somewhat taken aback by the speed of events, has publicly taken note.
  — Matthew Chance, CNN, 2 Mar. 2025
• Those close to the family were taken aback by the announcement.
  — Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 19 Feb. 2024
• That’s why one day, when addressing the inside guys, Likens was taken aback when Rice raised his hand.
  — Jesse Newell, Kansas City Star, 19 Jan. 2024
• The three-time gold medalist was seemingly taken aback by the rapper’s largesse.
  — Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 7 May 2024
• The head of a tax watchdog group also said she was taken aback by what Steiner put forward.
  — Rob Davis, ProPublica, 2 Feb. 2024
• Sheila Foley, went to follow up at the Perez home, where both seemed taken aback by the state of the house, according to footage from body cameras.
  — Rachel Clarke, CNN, 6 Sep. 2024
• Of course, that's expected, but we're still taken aback at how aggressive the aero looks on the Honda.
  — Jack Fitzgerald, Car and Driver, 24 July 2023
• But even she has been taken aback by the flurry of labor reforms snaking through Congress.
  — Mary Beth Sheridan, Washington Post, 31 Dec. 2023
• Visibly taken aback, Vernikov cursed as the man walked off, laughing.
  — Daniel Wu, Washington Post, 22 Aug. 2023
• Iris is rightfully taken aback, and in her anger decides not to release Isaac.
  — Jourdain Searles, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Jan. 2025
• As the Cessna 180 circled for a landing, I was taken aback by how easily it was tossed around.
  — Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 11 Sep. 2024
• Looking at these pictures today, I’m still taken aback by it all.
  — Paul McCartney, The Atlantic, 13 June 2023
• John Myers, one of the Democratic canvassers, said he was taken aback.
  — Madeleine May, CBS News, 20 May 2024
• He was somewhat taken aback by Jamie Kennedy and Lillard's broad performances on the first day of shooting.
  — Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024
• People close to Gagosian have sometimes been taken aback by his cloak-and-dagger tradecraft.
  — Patrick Radden Keefe, The New Yorker, 24 July 2023
• The employee, played by Mulaney, is taken aback when Davidson asks for a gallon of milk.
  — Katie Campione, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2024
• As such, some royal lovers were a bit taken aback to see Camilla pull out the piece so soon after Elizabeth’s death.
  — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 20 Oct. 2023
• The 7 Rings singer was at a photo call in Sydney following the Australian premiere of the film, and looked taken aback when someone passed her their pet pooch.
  — Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2024
• Saddened by the loss of life, Cameron was taken aback by the symmetry between what happened in 1912 and what unfolded a few days ago.
  — Timothy Bella, Washington Post, 23 June 2023
• In a video shared by Lopez's official fan club On the JLo, the entertainer was clearly taken aback by the ongoing cheers from the crowd.
  — Mark Joseph, Newsweek, 22 Feb. 2025
• Feeling lucky enough to be so close already, the group of swimmers were taken aback when the beast swam up toward the surface, giving them a proper look at it.
  — Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
• Pfeiffer was taken aback by how many people related to her thoughts.
  — Dan Perry, Newsweek, 1 Mar. 2025