aback

/əˈbæk/

//əˈbæk// adv

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"aback" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“aback” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #29,152. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#29,152
frequency rank, English
3,931
“A” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
6
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 2, 2026) - Towards the back or rear; backwards.

Corpus desk

Index EN-aback · aback · English

aback · rank #29,152 · 7 variants · 6 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #29,152
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 6 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,931
  • PHOTO-FINISH yaya

Nearest frequency peer: yaya (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbourhood for “aback”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “aback” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 2, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

aback vs ABC
0% similar
aback vs ACK
0% similar
aback vs abate
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for aback
PropertyValue
Headwordaback
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/əˈbæk/
Letters5
Frequency rank#29,152
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs6
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “aback” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). aback lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around aback (IPA /əˈbæk/), anadverb. Corpus frequency is #29,152 among 3,931 “A” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for aback, with forms such as "aabck", "abacck", and "abackk". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 6 confusable-pair relationships, "ABC", "ACK", "abate", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English abak, from Old English onbæc, equivalent to a- (“towards”) + back. Compare West Frisian tebek (“aback”, adverb, literally “to/at back”), Swedish tillbaka (idem.). The correct English form is aback, spelled A-B-A-C-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    Towards the back or rear; backwards.
  2. 2
    In the rear; a distance behind.
  3. 3
    By surprise; startled; dumbfounded. (see usage)
  4. 4
    Backward against the mast; said of the sails when pressed by the wind from the "wrong" (forward) side, or of a ship when its sails are set that way.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how aback appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The mild, though licentious reign, of Louis the Sixteenth, threw France far aback, in her ambitious career; but it gave birth to that revolution, wherein, her warlike propensities and territorial resources were unfolded with tenfold efficacy.
  2. Then stopped, and bounded aback, and away as if in fear, / That I saw her no more; then I wondered though sitting close anear / Was a she-wolf great and grisly.

Etymology

From Middle English abak, from Old English onbæc, equivalent to a- (“towards”) + back. Compare West Frisian tebek (“aback”, adverb, literally “to/at back”), Swedish tillbaka (idem.).

Synonyms

unawares

This word in other languages

atrás(Español)en arrière(Français)rückwärts(Deutsch)atrás(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • aabck
  • abacck
  • abackk
  • abakc
  • abback
  • abcak
  • baack

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of aback - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

aabck2abacck1abackk1abakc2abback1abcak2baack2
Edit distance from "aback"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 2, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "aback"?
"aback" is spelled A-B-A-C-K. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈbæk/.
What does "aback" mean?
As an adverb, "aback" means: Towards the back or rear; backwards.
What words are commonly confused with "aback"?
"aback" is commonly confused with "ABC", "ACK", "abate". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "aback"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "aback" is /əˈbæk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "aback"?
From Middle English abak, from Old English onbæc, equivalent to a- (“towards”) + back. Compare West Frisian tebek (“aback”, adverb, literally “to/at back”), Swedish tillbaka (idem.). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "aback", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Wynne#29,149aloof#29,158Tunis#29,133tenet#29,121

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (7 here; floor ≥5).

beanie7 variantsSXSW7 variantsswain7 variantsbogged7 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "aback". Here's where to go from here.

  • "aback" maps to 6 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "ABC". View pair
  • 7 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #29,152 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "A" letter cohort. A–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list