nonplussed

non plussed |nänˈpləst nɑnˌpləst |(also nonplused ) ▶adjective 1 (of a person ) surprised and confused so much that they are unsure how to react: he would be completely nonplussed and embarrassed at the idea. 2 informal (of a person ) not disconcerted; unperturbed. usage: In standard use, nonplussed means ‘surprised and confused ’: the hostility of the new neighbor's refusal left Mrs. Walker nonplussed. In North American English, a new use has developed in recent years, meaning ‘unperturbed ’—more or less the opposite of its traditional meaning: hoping to disguise his confusion, he tried to appear nonplussed . This new use probably arose on the assumption that non- was the normal negative prefix and must therefore have a negative meaning. It is not considered part of standard English.

nonplussed

non |plussed |nɒnˈplʌst | ▶adjective 1 so surprised and confused that one is unsure how to react: Henry looked completely nonplussed. 2 N. Amer. informal not disconcerted; unperturbed. usage: In standard use nonplussed means ‘surprised and confused ’, as in she was nonplussed at his eagerness to help out. In North American English a new use has developed in recent years, meaning ‘unperturbed ’—more or less the opposite of its traditional meaning —as in he was clearly trying to appear nonplussed . This new use probably arose on the assumption that non- was the normal negative prefix and must therefore have a negative meaning. It is not considered part of standard English.

nonplussed

nonplussed verb 1 Nick was nonplussed by the suggestion that he'd acted unkindly: surprised, stunned, dumbfounded, confounded, taken aback, disconcerted, thrown, thrown off balance; puzzled, perplexed, mystified, baffled, bemused, bewildered; informal fazed, flummoxed, stumped, bamboozled, discombobulated. 2 Tex remained nonplussed throughout the scandal: unperturbed, unruffled, unfazed, composed. USAGE nonplussed In standard use, nonplussed means ‘surprised and confused ’: the hostility of the new neighbor's refusal left Mrs. Walker nonplussed. In American English, a new use has developed in recent years, meaning ‘unperturbed ’—more or less the opposite of its traditional meaning: hoping to disguise his confusion, he tried to appear nonplussed. This new use probably arose on the assumption that non- was the normal negative prefix and must therefore have a negative meaning. Although the use is common, it is not yet considered standard. Note that the correct spelling is nonplussed, not nonplused. Usage notes show additional guidance on finer points of English usage.