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

It seems, however, that, in common with myself, your numerous correspondents are quite at a nonplus.

From Notes and Queries, Number 179, April 2, 1853. A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc by Bell, George

"I really did nonplus you, didn't I?" she insisted, aware of his amusement.

From The Streets of Ascalon Episodes in the Unfinished Career of Richard Quarren, Esqre. by Chambers, Robert W. (Robert William)

He breathed quickly as if he had been running, yet having closed the door, he paused before he advanced into the room; and he seemed surprised, and at a nonplus.

From The Long Night by Weyman, Stanley John

The young lord, thus abandoned, looked at first at a nonplus, and seemed for a while more than half-inclined to follow.

From Shrewsbury A Romance by Weyman, Stanley J.

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

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

In response to Mr. Zhao’s accusations, Mr. Bankman-Fried seemed nonplused.

From New York Times ● Dec. 9, 2022

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

Currencies, bonds, and stocks appeared to be nonplussed.

From Barron's ● Jan. 16, 2026

"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

"It's hard for me to believe that targets and timing and weapons would not have been classified," he told Gabbard, who remained nonplussed.

From Salon ● Mar. 25, 2025

Tony was nonplussed at finding his golf clubs in the driveway.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner

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 Reed, John Calvin

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

From The Paternoster Ruby by Walk, Charles Edmonds

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 Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich

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 Green, Anna Katharine