nonplus

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

The small boy hesitated, plainly at a nonplus.

From The Dop Doctor by Richard Dehan

Each desperate plunge elicited from the sufferers oaths and expressions which only those who have seen sailors completely at a nonplus on shore can conceive.

From Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia, Volume 1 by George Grey

But at times some extremely artless animadversions are heard that almost nonplus us.

From Popular scientific lectures by Ernst Mach

He wanted to nonplus and disconcert her, if such a thing were possible.

From The Dark House by I. A. R. (Ida Alexa Ross) Wylie

A genial man in person, Mr. Connick appeared nonplused in his later years over a reputation that had been severely tainted.

From New York Times ● Jan. 27, 2024

Rupert watches Nate’s mixed feelings, and is clearly nonplused at the chinks in the armor he has been trying to build around Nate.

From New York Times ● Apr. 5, 2023

Nicholas Elliott, Philby’s closest friend and a fellow member of the foreign intelligence agency MI6, looks slightly nonplused.

From New York Times ● Mar. 3, 2023

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

For now, investors appear nonplussed about potential disruptions to regional supply flows.

From Barron's ● Feb. 17, 2026

It featured Evan, Anthony and Zachary performing a rendition of Hilary Duff’s “What Dreams Are Made Of” before a crowd of nonplussed seniors, while Darshan danced along next to them on a laptop screen.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 28, 2026

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

"This is how I'd do it if I was DJ," he tells a group of nonplussed staff as dance music strains at his laptop speakers.

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2025

“Thank you,” Ash said, nonplussed, for Lore had not seemed to be particularly interested in befriending her.

From "Ash" by Malinda Lo

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

Dismissing this nonplussing phase, I turned to the subject of the gem once more.

From The Paternoster Ruby by Charles Edmonds Walk

It is closely woven in with that of Poindexter, and presents one feature which may occasion you no surprise, but which, I own, came near nonplussing me.

From The Circular Study by Anna Katharine Green

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

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