Last Updated：2025/11/20

(idiomatic, transitive) To surprise or shock; to discomfit. / (nautical, usually passive) Of a ship: to catch it with the sails aback suddenly.

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take aback

Source Word

take aback

Verb

idiomatic transitive passive usually

Japanese Meaning

［慣用表現］驚かす、あっけにとられる、当惑させる / ［船に関して］帆が突然逆巻きの状態になる（風を受ける）

Sudden changes in policy can take aback even employees who expected stability.

突然の方針変更は安定を期待していた従業員さえも驚かせることがある。

Sense（1）

(idiomatic, transitive) To surprise or shock; to discomfit.

I was rather taken aback by his angry reply.

Sense（2）

(nautical, usually passive) Of a ship: to catch it with the sails aback suddenly.

takes aback

（ present singular third-person ）

taking aback

（ participle present ）

took aback

（ past ）

taken aback

（ participle past ）