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
  • Not Kendall, nor Candle, but a third, even more perplexing name for a dog.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The moves to offload Dejan Joveljic and part with Manu Garcia were perplexing.
    — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of perplexing
Verb
  • Reese said the exercise left her upset with Smesko and worried about embarrassing herself in front of the team.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
  • But the Yanks are hot after embarrassing Boston with 9-0 and 9-2 victories in the Wild Card round.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of embarrassing
Adjective
  • One highlight for me was my session with an energy healer named Djik Dewa, who balances out the body’s chakras with gentle massage, chanting, and deep eye contact—a disconcerting but powerful experience.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Ultimately, swarms of AI could combine in rather disconcerting and dangerous ways.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of disconcerting
Verb
  • The crowd even includes Sam, who has a fun moment catching up with Roy and confusing him with an observation that sounds like it was inspired by The Wizard of Oz.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Apples and oranges But some note that investors may be confusing activity numbers that aren't exactly comparable.
    — Ananya Chetia,Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of confusing
Adjective
  • Now, none of this excuses what Cathy does to poor, sweet, trusting Faye, whom Martha Plimpton plays with a chummy maternal quality that makes her grotesque demise that much more upsetting.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of upsetting
Verb
  • Wilmington, California — The rattling whir of a diesel generator fills a corner of the truck yard.
    — Natasha Chen, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Diesel fuel prices have spiked in the aftermath of the Iran war, rattling voters and putting pressure on Republicans.
    — NICHOLAS INGRAM, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 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 13 Oct. 2026.

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