nonplus

He found cross-examinations mentally invigorating, soon learned that he could nonplus storming attorneys if he kept smiling no matter how galling their insinuations.

From Time Magazine Archive

Here is the question indeed, that would have driven the whole world to a nonplus, if once the majesty and holiness of God had been seen.

From The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning by Hugh Binning

It happened most fortunately that there were a number of Chippewayan Indians encamped on the spot at the time, else we should have been completely at a nonplus.

From Notes of a Twenty-Five Years' Service in the Hudson's Bay Territory Volume II. by John M'lean

Jupp was at a nonplus again; however, he tried to temporise with the mite, the more especially from his noticing that his little legs were quite mottled and his tiny fingers blue with cold.

From Teddy The Story of a Little Pickle by John C. (John Conroy) Hutcheson

The scholars were cogent reasoners, and a show of staves soon brought their opponents to a nonplus.

From Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 1 by Lucia Isabella Gilbert Runkle

Nicholas Elliott, Philby’s closest friend and a fellow member of the foreign intelligence agency MI6, looks slightly nonplused.

From New York Times ● Mar. 3, 2023

The shepherds were nonplused by the project but became serious about matters of geography.

From New York Times ● Apr. 20, 2022

Ronstadt even seemed nonplused about the Kennedy Center Honor she will receive in Washington in December.

From New York Times ● Sep. 5, 2019

And this, in turn, has left some of his peers nonplused — grumbling at what they see as a flimsy theory or bewildered as to why Harvard’s top astronomer won’t shut up about aliens.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 4, 2019

“I sure could use some lumber for my front porch,” he said, nonplused.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam

Collections by new designer Demna are going down well with American consumers, but shoppers everywhere else are nonplussed so far.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 15, 2026

Durant appeared nonplussed by the spat, while admitting that he had deliberately taken a combative approach into the game.

From Barron's ● Dec. 21, 2025

I was nonplussed at a 1992 symposium in Vienna when a hall filled with international art world denizens went absolutely wild, cheering and stomping when Kelley was introduced on a panel.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 1, 2025

"This is how I'd do it if I was DJ," he tells a group of nonplussed staff as dance music strains at his laptop speakers.

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2025

“Thank you,” Ash said, nonplussed, for Lore had not seemed to be particularly interested in befriending her.

From "Ash" by Malinda Lo

Weaver, however, verged on nonplussing co-hosts Brian Williams and Rachel Maddow, as well as reporter Steve Kornacki, MSNBC's millennial version of CNN's king-of-the-"Magic Wall" John King.

From US News ● Apr. 20, 2016

It is closely woven in with that of Poindexter, and presents one feature which may occasion you no surprise, but which, I own, came near nonplussing me.

From The Circular Study by Anna Katharine Green

Our higher officials are fond as a rule of nonplussing their subordinates; the methods to which they have recourse to attain that end are rather various.

From Fathers and Children by Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev

The question was awkward, nonplussing Jerky, and, the second time, calling for explanation from his sister; who, however, promptly vouchsafed it.

From No Quarter! by Mayne Reid

Dismissing this nonplussing phase, I turned to the subject of the gem once more.

From The Paternoster Ruby by Charles Edmonds Walk