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

But it must needs be condemned, because it renders the character of the term ambiguous, and is such a grammatical difficulty as puts the parser at a dead nonplus.

From The Grammar of English Grammars by Goold Brown

In short, it might nonplus a Person of the nicest Taste, to distinguish or determine, whether the Neatness of their Cells within, or the beauteous Varieties without, most exhaust his Admiration.

From Military Memoirs of Capt. George Carleton by Daniel Defoe

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

From Popular scientific lectures by Ernst Mach

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

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

He isn’t nodding his head or pumping his fist or rapping the lyrics like no few of the V.I.P.s present; in fact he seems almost nonplused.

From New York Times ● Dec. 27, 2022

“You have crazy people everywhere,” Mr. Rolat said, nonplused.

From New York Times ● Aug. 11, 2019

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

The feline in question is Gato Blanco, a “handsomely rotund” foster cat who seems to be equally perplexed and nonplussed by the art of radio journalism.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

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

From Barron's ● Feb. 17, 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

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

The question was awkward, nonplussing Jerky, and, the second time, calling for explanation from his sister; who, however, promptly vouchsafed it.

From No Quarter! by Mayne Reid

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

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