nonplussing 1 of 2

adjective

variants also nonplusing
as in perplexing

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Dissimilar Words

nonplussing

2 of 2

verb

variants also nonplusing
present participle of nonplus
as in embarrassing
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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonplussing
  1. perplexing
  2. embarrassing
  3. disconcerting
  4. confusing
  5. upsetting
  6. rattling
  7. confounding
  8. dismaying
Adjective
  • The second surprising ingredient was the most perplexing to me.
    — Josh Miller, Southern Living, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Despite a relatively long history of drive-through bans, the idea is still novel and perplexing to Californians who love their burgers and love their cars.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2026
Definition of perplexing
Verb
  • Many of the voters of the other political parties have been lending him their support, partly in the hope of embarrassing Farage.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Anthrax, Sublime, and Red Hot Chili Peppers were easy and often embarrassing examples, but the funky waka-waka guitar sound extended to Rage Against the Machine, Green Jellÿ, and Suicidal Tendencies (and their side project, Infectious Grooves).
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of embarrassing
Adjective
  • Ultimately, swarms of AI could combine in rather disconcerting and dangerous ways.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • There was a brief, disconcerting interlude of quiet from the Argentina fans after that.
    — Sam Knight, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
Definition of disconcerting
Verb
  • The light entering my eyes would bend at two different angles, confusing my brain and making my vision a little blurry.
    — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Bringing in extra mythology wouldn’t make the confusing parts any less confusing, and would just confuse the parts that aren’t confusing at all.
    — Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of confusing
Adjective
  • Megan Koverman The news was upsetting, but Koverman was determined to stay optimistic.
    — Kerry Breen, CBS News, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Some people have even accused the raptor center of only keeping Jackie to attract more donations, an upsetting allegation for the facility that takes in as many as 1,500 sick, injured or orphaned birds every year.
    — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of upsetting
Verb
  • Kemp and Jackson united at the Georgia Chamber’s annual congressional luncheon for the first time since Jackson’s party-rattling primary win.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • There’s certainly good news there, but the program also saw its average revenue per user drop over the last quarter, rattling investors.
    — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of rattling
Adjective
  • Grief is one of the most confounding aspects of the human experience.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
  • In 2021, one year into D’Amaro’s tenure and following COVID shutdowns, Disney did away with FastPass and introduced a confounding and very costly series of pay-to-skip passes, which require timing advanced booking of limited slots in these formerly free-to-enter shorter lines.
    — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of confounding
Adjective
  • Most dismaying to me was the group’s seemingly endless tinkering with the menu at Rowdy Rooster, its fast-casual fried-chicken spot, including a downgrade in the chicken’s range of heat.
    — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 19 July 2026
  • Some recent comments from longtime Voicers have been especially dismaying.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 4 June 2026
Definition of dismaying
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

nonplussed
nonplussing
nonpoisonous
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Cite this Entry

“Nonplussing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonplussing. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on nonplussing

Nglish: Translation of nonplussing for Spanish Speakers

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