taken aback
Surprised and unsettled
Taken aback means surprised or disconcerted, usually by something unexpected or unwelcome: I was taken aback by his rudeness.
The phrase comes from sailing, where a ship is taken aback when wind suddenly fills its sails from the wrong side, stopping forward progress.
The expression now describes that moment of being caught off guard and momentarily unable to respond.
Intense sudden wonder
- amazementOverwhelming surprise and wonder
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
- disbeliefRejection of truth claims
- incredulityInability to accept something
stupefaction · wonderment · gobsmacked · dumbfounded · flabbergasted · astounded · thunderstruck · speechless
Nervously upset and confused
- disconcertedDisturbed and uneasy
- nonplussedPerplexed into silence
- discomfitedUnsettled and embarrassed
- rattledDisturbed and unsettled
unnerved · unsettled · perturbed · dismayed · shaken · thrown · wrong-footed · off-balance
astonishment
Intense sudden wonder
- amazementOverwhelming surprise and wonder
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
- disbeliefRejection of truth claims
incredulity · stupefaction · wonderment · gobsmacked · dumbfounded · flabbergasted · astounded · thunderstruck · speechless · blindsided
flustered
Nervously upset and confused
- disconcertedDisturbed and uneasy
- nonplussedPerplexed into silence
- discomfitedUnsettled and embarrassed
rattled · unnerved · unsettled · perturbed · dismayed · shaken · thrown · wrong-footed · off-balance · awkward
flinch
Involuntary retreat from threat
shrink back · step back · draw back · hesitate · pause · balk · blanch · gasp · start · freeze
- astonishmentamazement, awe, wonder, wonderstruck, awestruck
- Nautical Idiomsbatten down the hatches, all hands on deck, smooth sailing, three sheets to the wind, in the same boat
- shock reactionsgasp, wide eyes, jaw drop, shocked face, open mouth
- expressions of awewow, whoa, amazing, awesome, incredible
- idiomstime flies, hit the sack, seize the day, ring a bell, break a leg
- uneasyanxious, nervous, jittery, edgy, tense
taken abackunfazed
Not disturbed or disconcerted
unflappable · unruffled · composed · imperturbable · unmoved
taken abackprepared
Made ready beforehand
unsurprised · ready · forewarned · braced · anticipating
take, mistake, taken, taking, mistaken, overtake, takes, mistakes, intake