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
  • More perplexing is the industry’s retreat despite evidence that diversity is in its economic interest.
    — Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Not Kendall, nor Candle, but a third, even more perplexing name for a dog.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of perplexing
Verb
  • My New York neighbors barely said hello; in Singapore, a stranger would probably politely look away rather than risk embarrassing you.
    — Amanda Lee Koe, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • After those results went public, embarrassing Muñiz and a few other judges, the Florida Bar stopped conducting surveys and publishing the results … leaving Florida voters with even fewer resources.
    — Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 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
  • Bill Belichick has made a Hall of Fame career on confusing young quarterbacks.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of confusing
Adjective
  • Don't delete conversations before documenting them, even if the experience is upsetting.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
  • According to Shuter, the situation at the rugby match was very confusing and upsetting for Harry.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of upsetting
Verb
  • The production is a rattling junk drawer of circuit-bent thrift-store keyboards, dusty drum machines, and unintuitive loops, and KTO combines them into head-scratching, shouldn’t-work grooves.
    — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The trunk-rattling track oozes bold proclamations about bag chasing, love at first sight, and cruising past his adversaries.
    — Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 15 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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