take aback
The phrase “take aback” has 3 syllables: take a-back
It's pronounced as /ˌteɪk əˈbæk/
What is synonym and antonym for take aback?
In the thesaurus, “take aback” has 147 synonyms and 41 antonyms.
Here are synonyms and antonyms for take aback along with examples of usage in sentences.
Synonyms for take aback
- abash
- affright
- agitate
- alarm
- amaze
- annoy
- astonish
- astound
- awe
- baffle
- balk
- beat
- befuddle
- bewilder
- blindside
- blow away
- boggle
- bolt
- bother
- bowl over
- buffalo
- bug
- cause wonder
- checkmate
- chill
- confound
- confuse
- consternate
- daunt
- daze
- dazzle
- demoralize
- devastate
- disarrange
- discombobulate
- discomfit
- discompose
- disconcert
- discountenance
- discourage
- dishearten
- disillusion
- dismay
- dispirit
- disquiet
- distress
- disturb
- dumbfound
- dumfound
- electrify
- embarrass
- faze
- flabbergast
- floor
- flummox
- flurry
- fluster
- foil
- foul up
- fright
- frighten
- frustrate
- get
- get to
- give a shock
- give a turn
- hinder
- horrify
- irk
- jar
- jolt
- jump
- knock for a loop
- knock over
- knock over with feather
- leave aghast
- leave open-mouthed
- louse up
- make jump
- mess up
- muck up
- muddle
- mystify
- nonplus
- outwit
- overcome
- overpower
- overwhelm
- paralyze
- perplex
- perturb
- petrify
- prevent
- psych out
- put off
- put one away
- puzzle
- rattle
- rock
- ruffle
- scare
- scare to death
- screw up
- shake
- shake up
- shatter
- shock
- snafu
- spook
- spring
- spring on
- spring something on
- stagger
- start
- startle
- stick
- strike dumb
- strike with awe
- stump
- stun
- stupefy
- stymie
- surprise
- take breath away
- take by surprise
- terrify
- terrorize
- throw
- throw a curve
- throw into a tizzy
- throw into tizzy
- throw off balance
- thunderstrike
- thwart
- trouble
- trump
- unbalance
- underwhelm
- undo
- unhinge
- unnerve
- unsettle
- upset
- upset the apple cart
- vex
- worry
- worst
Antonyms for take aback
- abet
- aid
- appease
- approve
- assist
- assure
- bore
- calm
- clarify
- clear up
- comfort
- compose
- delight
- dull
- educate
- embolden
- encourage
- enlighten
- expect
- explain
- explicate
- give in
- gladden
- hearten
- help
- incite
- inspirit
- lay out
- lose
- make happy
- order
- permit
- placate
- please
- quiet
- reassure
- settle
- soothe
- support
- surrender
- yield
Example Sentences
- The unexpected news take aback everyone in the room.
- His bold proposal take aback his colleagues, but they admired his initiative.
- She was take aback by the honesty of his confession.
- The sudden change in weather take aback the hikers who were unprepared for the storm.
- The teacher's sharp criticism take aback the usually confident student.
On this page you'll find 188 synonyms, antonyms, or another words to take aback, such as: abash, abet, affright, agitate, aid, alarm, amaze.
Make sure to choose synonyms and antonyms that are appropriate for the context of the sentence.
Related Words
take by surprise
- amaze
- ambush
- astonish
- astound
- beat
- befall
- befuddle
- better
- bewilder
- blindside
- blow away
- bowl over
- burst in on
- bushwhack
- capture
- catch in the act
- catch off-balance
- catch off-guard
- catch red-handed
- catch unawares
- catch up with
- come down on
- come upon
- confound
- confuse
- daze
- discomfit
- disconcert
- discover
- dismay
- drop in on
- dumbfound
- dumfound
- engulf
- flabbergast
- floor
- gain on
- get past
- get to
- grab
- grasp
- happen
- hit
- jar
- knock for a loop
- lay for
- leave behind
- lie in wait
- muddle
- nab
- nonplus
- outdistance
- outdo
- outstrip
- overhaul
- overwhelm
- perplex
- reach
- rock
- seize
- shake up
- shock
- spring on
- startle
- strike
- stun
- stupefy
- surprise
- take
- take aback
- thunderstrike
- waylay
knock for a loop
- advance
- affright
- aggress
- alarm
- alarum
- amaze
- ambush
- annihilate
- appal
- appall
- assail
- assault
- astonish
- astound
- awe
- bang
- bash
- bat
- batter
- bean
- beat
- befuddle
- belt
- benumb
- beset
- besiege
- best
- better
- bewilder
- biff
- blast
- blindside
- blow away
- blow out
- bludgeon
- boff
- bomb
- bombard
- bonk
- boot
- bop
- bowl over
- brain
- break
- buffet
- bung
- bury
- bust
- cap
- charge
- chill
- chop
- chop down
- clip
- clobber
- clock
- clout
- club
- combat
- confound
- confuse
- conquer
- cook
- cream
- crush
- cuff
- daunt
- daze
- deaden
- defeat
- demoralize
- discomfit
- discomfort
- discompose
- disconcert
- disgust
- dismay
- dispatch
- dispirit
- displease
- disquiet
- distress
- disturb
- do down
- drub
- dumbfound
- dumfound
- eclipse
- emasculate
- exceed
- excel
- finish
- flabbergast
- flatten
- floor
- flourish
- fright
- frighten
- get
- get around
- get the better of
- hammer
- harm
- hit
- horrify
- hurt
- infiltrate
- invade
- jar
- jolt
- jump
- kick
- knock block off
- knock cold
- knock down
- knock off
- knock out
- knock over
- knock silly
- larrup
- lay siege to
- lick
- light into
- mangle
- master
- maul
- molest
- muddle
- mug
- nauseate
- nonplus
- nose out
- numb
- offend
- outdistance
- outdo
- outfight
- outrage
- outshine
- outstrip
- overbear
- overcome
- overmatch
- overpower
- overthrow
- overtop
- overwhelm
- panic
- paralyze
- paste
- pelt
- perplex
- perturb
- pip
- pounce upon
- pound
- pummel
- punch
- raid
- rap
- repel
- revolt
- rock
- rout
- rush
- scandalize
- scare
- scarify
- score
- set upon
- shake
- shake up
- shellac
- shock
- sicken
- skin
- skunk
- slam
- slap
- slaughter
- slog
- slug
- smack
- smite
- smoke
- snow under
- soak
- sock
- spook
- stab
- startle
- stop
- storm
- strike
- stun
- stupefy
- subdue
- subjugate
- succeed
- surmount
- surpass
- surprise
- swat
- sweep
- take
- take aback
- take by surprise
- take the offensive
- terrify
- terrorize
- thrash
- thump
- thunderstrike
- thwack
- top
- transcend
- trim
- trounce
- turn off
- turn on
- undo
- unman
- unnerve
- unseat
- unsettle
- unstring
- upend
- upset
- vanquish
- wallop
- wax
- weird out
- whack
- whale
- whip
- whop
- worst
knock over
- abolish
- amaze
- annul
- appropriate
- asphyxiate
- assail
- assault
- astonish
- astound
- bang
- bash
- be victorious
- beat
- belt
- bemuse
- best
- bewilder
- bleed
- blockade
- blow away
- blow down
- bludgeon
- boggle
- bomb
- bombard
- bowl down
- bowl over
- breach
- break in
- bring down
- bring low
- bring to ruin
- bulldoze
- bump
- burglarize
- burgle
- burn
- capsize
- cause to fall
- charge
- cheat
- chisel
- churn
- cleave
- clobber
- come out on top
- confound
- confuse
- conquer
- convulse
- countermand
- cozen
- cripple
- crush
- cut
- cut down
- dash
- daze
- debilitate
- defeat
- defraud
- deluge
- demolish
- depose
- depredate
- descend
- descend on
- despoil
- destroy
- dethrone
- devastate
- dip
- disable
- disarm
- disarrange
- disarray
- discompose
- disorder
- disturb
- do a pratfall
- do away with
- douse
- down
- drain
- drench
- drop
- drown
- dumbfound
- engulf
- equalize
- eradicate
- exhaust
- exploit
- exterminate
- fall headlong
- fall upon
- fatigue
- fell
- filch
- fire on
- flabbergast
- flatten
- fleece
- flood
- floor
- flop
- fog
- forage
- foray
- frazzle
- gash
- get around
- get the better of
- give a turn
- go belly up
- go down
- go under
- grab
- ground
- gut
- hack
- hammer
- harass
- harry
- heat
- hew
- hit
- hit like ton of bricks
- hit the dirt
- hold up
- hurdle
- hustle
- immerse
- immobilize
- impair
- incapacitate
- inroad
- inundate
- invade
- invalidate
- invert
- jab
- jar
- jerk
- jog
- jostle
- jumble
- kayo
- keel
- keel over
- kip
- knock
- knock down
- knock off
- knock out
- knock socks off
- knock unconscious
- ko
- lay low
- lay out
- lay waste
- lean against
- lean on
- level
- liberate
- lick
- lift
- liquidate
- loft
- loot
- lose footing
- lose it
- mangle
- maraud
- march on
- master
- mess up
- moonlight requisition
- mow
- mow down
- muddle
- mug
- mulct
- nose-dive
- nullify
- obliterate
- oust
- outlive
- overbalance
- overcome
- overflow
- overpower
- overrun
- overthrow
- overtire
- overturn
- overwhelm
- paralyze
- paste
- perturb
- petrify
- pilfer
- pillage
- pinch
- pirate
- pitch
- pluck
- plummet
- plunder
- plunge
- poke
- pound
- prevail
- prey
- prostrate
- prowl
- pull down
- punch
- purge
- purloin
- put an end to
- put one away
- raid
- rake
- ransack
- ravish
- raze
- reduce
- relieve
- render
- repeal
- requisition
- rescind
- reverse
- rifle
- rip off
- rise above
- rive
- rob
- rock
- roll
- rook
- ruin
- run over
- sack
- sag
- sally
- sally forth
- salvage
- sap
- set aside
- sever
- shake
- shake up
- shell
- shock
- shoot
- shoot down
- shortchange
- shove
- sink
- skid
- skin
- slam
- slap
- slash
- slip
- slog
- slough
- slug
- slump
- smack
- smash and grab
- smite
- smooth
- snatch
- soak
- sock
- sop
- souse
- spill
- split
- spoil
- spoliate
- spring on
- spring something on
- squeeze
- stagger
- start
- startle
- stick
- stick up
- stifle
- sting
- storm
- strafe
- strike
- strike down
- strike dumb
- strip
- stumble
- stun
- stupefy
- subdue
- subjugate
- subvert
- suffocate
- sunder
- surmount
- surprise
- survive
- swamp
- swat
- sweep
- swindle
- swipe
- swoop
- take a header
- take aback
- take breath away
- take off
- tear down
- terminate
- thieve
- throw
- throw a curve
- throw down
- thump
- thwack
- tip
- tip over
- tire
- topple
- torpedo
- toss
- trip
- triumph over
- tucker out
- tumble
- turn over
- turn upside down
- unseat
- unsettle
- upend
- upset
- upturn
- vanquish
- void
- wallop
- waste
- weary
- weather
- whack
- whale
- whelm
- win
- wipe out
- worst
- wreck