taking aback
Causing sudden surprise
Taking aback means surprising or unsettling someone, usually by saying or doing something unexpected: Her blunt response took me aback.
The phrase comes from sailing, where a ship is taken aback when wind suddenly fills the sails from the wrong side, stopping forward motion.
Nearly always appears as taken aback or took aback.
Shocked into speechlessness
- flabbergastedOverwhelmed with amazement
- dumbfoundedRendered speechless by surprise
- astonishedGreatly shocked, overwhelmed
- aghastStruck with horror
stupefied · thunderstruck · gobsmacked · speechless · incredulous · shell-shocked · staggered · floored
Disturbed and uneasy
- flusteredNervously upset and confused
- discomfitedUnsettled and embarrassed
- rattledDisturbed and unsettled
- unnervedMade anxious or unsettled
thrown · perturbed · disturbed · shaken · disquieted · nonplussed · wrong-footed · off-balance
Not predicted beforehand
- unforeseenNot predicted or expected
- out of the blueWithout any forewarning
- unpredictedNot foretold or anticipated
- suddenOccurring without prior notice
abrupt · surprising · startling · bolt from the blue · curveball · blindside · ambush · without warning
Unable to understand
- baffledUtterly unable to understand
- perplexedThoroughly confused, uncertain
- confoundedThoroughly puzzled or frustrated
- puzzledConfused by something unclear
mystified · flummoxed · befuddled · disoriented · at a loss · lost for words · thrown for a loop · wonderstruck
stunned
Shocked into speechlessness
- flabbergastedOverwhelmed with amazement
- dumbfoundedRendered speechless by surprise
- astonishedGreatly shocked, overwhelmed
aghast · stupefied · thunderstruck · gobsmacked · speechless · incredulous · shell-shocked · staggered · floored · bowled over
disconcerted
Disturbed and uneasy
- flusteredNervously upset and confused
- discomfitedUnsettled and embarrassed
- rattledDisturbed and unsettled
unnerved · thrown · perturbed · disturbed · shaken · disquieted · nonplussed · wrong-footed · off-balance · put out
unanticipated
Not predicted beforehand
- unforeseenNot predicted or expected
- out of the blueWithout any forewarning
- unpredictedNot foretold or anticipated
sudden · abrupt · surprising · startling · bolt from the blue · curveball · blindside · ambush · without warning · caught napping
confused
Unable to understand
- baffledUtterly unable to understand
- perplexedThoroughly confused, uncertain
- confoundedThoroughly puzzled or frustrated
puzzled · mystified · flummoxed · befuddled · disoriented · at a loss · lost for words · thrown for a loop · wonderstruck · bemused
taking abackforewarning
Notice of future trouble
preparing · predictable · expected · anticipated · unsurprising
taking abackreassuring
Restoring calm or confidence
calming · comforting · settling · soothing · steadying
taking abackforewarning
Notice of future trouble
expecting · anticipating · preparing · predicting · foreseeing
take, aback, taken, takers, taking, takings, retake, retakes, retaking