variants
also nonplused
as in perplexed
faced with difficulty or uncertainty about what to say, think, or do
the self-possessed actress seemed uncharacteristically nonplussed after the director's harsh appraisal of her performance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also nonplused
as in embarrassed
to throw into a state of self-conscious distress
I was nonplussed by his openly expressed admiration of me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of nonplussed
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Feb. 2026
In a brief phone interview, a worker at Unique Bite Eatery in Indio appeared nonplussed and said there was no damage at the restaurant.
—Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Jamie L. Lareau, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
So as the Rams prepare to face wintery and blustery conditions in their divisional round playoff game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday at Soldier Field – a mere 90-minute drive from Mevis’ hometown in Warsaw, Indiana –the kicker is nonplussed about the weather report.
—Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nonplussed
Adjective
Notably, Christoph Waltz appears as a maddeningly nonplussed priest tasked with hunting the titular vampire.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Feb. 2026
In a brief phone interview, a worker at Unique Bite Eatery in Indio appeared nonplussed and said there was no damage at the restaurant.
—Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Verb
But killing the compact SUVs, especially the Escape, has left some industry analysts and car dealers nonplussed because the Escape has long been a top seller and there is no other vehicle in Ford's lineup to exactly replace it to keep Escape customers in the Ford family.
—Jamie L. Lareau, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
So as the Rams prepare to face wintery and blustery conditions in their divisional round playoff game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday at Soldier Field – a mere 90-minute drive from Mevis’ hometown in Warsaw, Indiana –the kicker is nonplussed about the weather report.
—Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nonplussed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonplussed
Adjective
-
For Bogaerts, Severino is the one who leaves him perplexed, the one who has him asking why this guy, of all guys, owns him.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
-
Some observers are perplexed as to why a serious adult drama is attracting the level of fan scrutiny usually reserved for genre material.—
Payton Turkeltaub,
Variety,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That this series has flipped on its head seemed almost impossible last Sunday, when the Celtics embarrassed Philadelphia in a Game 4 win on the Sixers’ home floor.—
Tobias Bass,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
-
The Mets were embarrassed by the Washington Nationals in an 14-2 blowout to even up the series at one game apiece.—
James O'Connell,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Glaser, no doubt like many viewers, seemed a little baffled when the Swift songs dried up, and Idol had to pad out the rest of the episode with songs themed around California.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Not outraged but baffled, curious Kaho tries to find out his hidden message.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But when an audition for the sixth film came through, he was initially confused by the prospect of rejoining a franchise in which his character had already died.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
2 May 2026
-
Not to be confused with German tiny camper van builder Alpincamper, Switzerland's Alpencamper is a small upstart dedicated to bicycle camping trailers.—
C.C. Weiss
May 01,
New Atlas,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Everyone was so relieved to see how bewildered everyone else was that the feeling in this place was almost festive.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Numerous cryptocurrency novices become bewildered by intricate decals and fluctuating percentages.—
Malana VanTyler,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This comes up every few years, and everyone gets all flustered every few years.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Lullaby, Book of Love’s 1988 follow-up, is the sound of a band that felt surprised and flustered by unexpected success.—
Billie Bugara,
Pitchfork,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nonplussed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonplussed. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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