phrasal verb · informal
take aback
/teɪk əˈbæk/take·a·BACK
speakingtask2
to surprise someone so much that they are momentarily unable to react
Examples
“I was taken aback by how quickly she finished the exam.”
“His criticism took me aback; I didn't expect such blunt feedback.”
“We were all taken aback at the sudden announcement.”
Band 8 sentence
“I was taken aback by the number of logical flaws in what had seemed a persuasive article.”
Collocations
- be taken aback by
- took me aback
Word family
take aback (phr. v) verbtaken aback (adj) adjective (colloquial)
Common mistakes
I was taken aback to his comment→I was taken aback by his comment
He take aback me→He took me aback
Say it for a higher band
5surprise→6astonish→7+take aback
Synonyms
surprise
astonish
Easily confused
surprise
“I was completely taken aback when they announced the winner.”
Related words
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In take …
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