Word
aback
US/əˈbæk/
UK/ɐbˈæk/
Adverb of manner
Definitions
01surprised or shocked
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adv. surprised or shocked by something unexpected.
adv. startled or disconcerted by a sudden development; almost exclusively used in the passive construction 'to be taken aback'.
“I was taken aback by how much the city had changed since my last visit.”
“The CEO was visibly taken aback by the shareholders' blunt refusal to approve the proposed merger during the annual meeting.”
Teaching tip
Learners should treat 'taken aback' as a single lexical unit rather than trying to use 'aback' on its own.
02sails pressed backwards
C2 · Proficiency Science Technical
adv. when the wind blows against the front of a ship's sails, pushing them back against the mast.
adv. the state of a ship's square sails when pressed against the mast by a headwind. Used as a predicative adverb.
“The ship was caught aback by a sudden change in the wind's direction.”
“The vessel was laid aback to reduce its headway, allowing the crew to safely lower the lifeboats into the swelling sea.”
Teaching tip
This is the original nautical source of the common idiom; it is rarely encountered outside of maritime history or technical sailing manuals.
Usage
Almost always follows the verb 'to be' and the past participle 'taken'.
Pitfall
The news took me aback.
I was taken aback by the news.
While 'take someone aback' is grammatically possible, the passive form 'be taken aback' is the standard idiomatic usage.
Real-World Examples
“He’s taken aback by his young children who warn him on the drive to school to not fall asleep at the wheel and be nice to mom.” “The thing is, usually we cannot because we’ve got to work, we have kids, we’ve got to run, and so we’re taken aback by the changing needs of older people.” Etymology
From Middle English abak, from Old English onbæc, equivalent to a- (“towards”) + back. Compare West Frisian tebek (“aback”, adverb, literally “to/at back”), Swedish tillbaka (idem.).
From Latin abacus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
01. take aback
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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