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nonplussing 1 of 2

adjective

variants also nonplusing
as in perplexing

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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
  • Director Darren Aronofsky’s chilly mind-bender is mesmerizing, terrifying and perplexing in equal measure.
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The messages, which NPR has obtained and authenticated, are perplexing.
    — NPR, NPR, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of perplexing
Verb
  • Things escalate as the two share a car ride home from a fancy gala and the bad man yells at her for embarrassing him.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Neither party acted on it; Republicans wanted to avoid embarrassing Trump, while Democrats wanted to avoid embarrassing Nancy Pelosi, whose husband is an active trader.
    — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 19 Sep. 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 common mistake is confusing behavioral information with behavioral intelligence.
    — Dr. Jay R. Harrison, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • No doubt, Gucci Morty is confusing teachers who are receiving similar responses from their students.
    — Owen Carry, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of confusing
Adjective
  • The stakes will be plenty high as well, because the winner of this game will have an early inside track on making it to the Big 12 title game and potentially upsetting Texas Tech en route to a College Football Playoff berth.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • There’s so much premeditation and passion into doing that, and to actually play that with no music and just the sound and the banality of a lifeless body being hit by some blunt instrument is very viscerally upsetting.
    — Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of upsetting
Verb
  • Higher yields worldwide are rattling all kinds of financial markets.
    — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • There’s a passage in the final movement when the full orchestra, reinforced by trumpets, trombones, tuba, and a thunder roll of timpani, clamber up to a teeth-rattling fortissimo.
    — Justin Davidson, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of rattling
Adjective
  • Its study of dark matter and dark energy could also give scientists new insights into two of the most confounding puzzles in astronomy.
    — Denise Chow, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Grief is one of the most confounding aspects of the human experience.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 Apr. 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 29 Sep. 2026.

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