nonplus
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to render utterly perplexed by something unexpected; puzzle completely.
He nonplussed his questioners by answering in riddles.
- Synonyms:
- disconcert, confound, confuse, perplex
-
to cause to feel indifferent, calm, or unexcited.
The shoppers were entirely nonplussed by the disturbance in the street, continuing to gaze at window displays as they strolled along.
noun
verb
noun
Usage
See nonplussed ( def. ).
Etymology
Origin of nonplus
First recorded in 1575–85; (noun) from Latin nōn plūs literally, “not more, no further,” that is, a state in which nothing more can be done
Explanation
To nonplus is to baffle or confuse someone to the point that they have nothing to say. Something weird and mysterious can nonplus you, like a play that is performed entirely by chickens. If you know a little French or Latin, you'll recognize that "non plus" means "no more." When something bewildering nonpluses you, there's no more you can say or do about it. A goal of getting poor grades, running with a bad crowd, and refusing to eat would leave your parents nonplussed. Sometimes people misuse nonplus to mean "unimpressed," but that's not correct: to nonplus is to puzzle, confuse, and dumbfound.
Vocabulary lists containing nonplus
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
He found cross-examinations mentally invigorating, soon learned that he could nonplus storming attorneys if he kept smiling no matter how galling their insinuations.
From Time Magazine Archive
Peter was puzzled, and scratched his ear like a man at a nonplus.
From The Daltons, Volume II (of II) Or,Three Roads In Life by Charles James Lever
It happened most fortunately that there were a number of Chippewayan Indians encamped on the spot at the time, else we should have been completely at a nonplus.
From Notes of a Twenty-Five Years' Service in the Hudson's Bay Territory Volume II. by John M'lean
A grand dinner, and fine company; but, talking French, and nothing but French, all the time, Mrs. D. and your humble servant were rather at a nonplus.
From The Dodd Family Abroad, Vol. I by Charles James Lever
They were put to a nonplus, and summoned the Devil to their relief.
From A Budget of Paradoxes, Volume I by David Eugene Smith
Jamie, who was the team’s best player before Zava’s arrival, is visibly nonplused.
From New York Times ● Mar. 29, 2023
But even sophisticated cocktail consumers were nonplused by his pitch, so he switched to a more accessible product: applejack.
From New York Times ● Feb. 2, 2021
Nguyen, 43, is delighted by the attention the script has received, even while sounding a little nonplused.
From New York Times ● Jul. 2, 2020
And this, in turn, has left some of his peers nonplused — grumbling at what they see as a flimsy theory or bewildered as to why Harvard’s top astronomer won’t shut up about aliens.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 4, 2019
“I sure could use some lumber for my front porch,” he said, nonplused.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
Collections by new designer Demna are going down well with American consumers, but shoppers everywhere else are nonplussed so far.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 15, 2026
Durant appeared nonplussed by the spat, while admitting that he had deliberately taken a combative approach into the game.
From Barron's ● Dec. 21, 2025
I was nonplussed at a 1992 symposium in Vienna when a hall filled with international art world denizens went absolutely wild, cheering and stomping when Kelley was introduced on a panel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 1, 2025
But Rotem Naftalovich, of Rutgers University in New Jersey, one of the three researchers involved, said the US food regulator was nonplussed by the admittedly "wonky" idea.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2025
And all of them felt as nonplussed as the man had been when he’d first seen them.
From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman
Weaver, however, verged on nonplussing co-hosts Brian Williams and Rachel Maddow, as well as reporter Steve Kornacki, MSNBC's millennial version of CNN's king-of-the-"Magic Wall" John King.
From US News ● Apr. 20, 2016
While his powers of discussion of a subject were great, the power that especially characterized him was that of nonplussing his antagonist with a snub or a sarcasm.
From The Brothers' War by John Calvin Reed
Our higher officials are fond as a rule of nonplussing their subordinates; the methods to which they have recourse to attain that end are rather various.
From Fathers and Children by Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev
Dismissing this nonplussing phase, I turned to the subject of the gem once more.
From The Paternoster Ruby by Charles Edmonds Walk
He received visitors with the graciousness of the courteous head of a department, who resigns himself to listen to demands, allowing them to talk as he smiled faintly, and nonplussing them by his calmness.
From Une Vie, a Piece of String and Other Stories by Guy de Maupassant
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