Make Your Point > Archived Issues > NONPLUSSED

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explore the archives: Latin for "no more" or "no further," nonplus is the state you're in when you can't even do or say anything else because you're so perplexed. Earlier, we came across that Latin plus ("beyond, more, further") in the three-word term __ plus _____, meaning "the highest or best that something can possibly be." Could you recall it? make your point with... "NONPLUSSED" When you're nonplussed, you're so confused that you're at a standstill, not knowing what to do or say. Pronunciation: non PLUST Part of speech: Adjective. (Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late." They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in "a nonplussed person." 2. After a linking verb, as in "He was nonplussed.") Other forms: None in common use. How to use it: You can be nonplussed by something, nonplussed when or as something happens, or just plain nonplussed: "Nonplussed by the question, she stared;" "Nonplussed when he asked the question, she stared;" "She stared, nonplussed." Although it's usually people who are nonplussed, you might also talk about nonplussed feelings or attitudes, nonplussed eyes or faces, nonplussed gestures, or nonplussed pauses or silences. "Nonplus" is also a noun and a verb, but they're very rarely used. You can say that someone is in a nonplus (or at a nonplus), or that something has nonplussed someone. A note on another meaning of "nonplussed:" Very often, people use "nonplussed" when they mean "unfazed" or "nonchalant." I suggest avoiding this; it might cause confusion for your listeners or readers. (The Oxford English Dictionary points out that using "nonplussed" to mean "unfazed" is often seen as a mistake.)  Let's consider a few examples. First, a sportswriter with the Washington Times wrote this: "Strasburg is aware of the phenomenon, though nonplussed by it. 'I really don’t read into that too much,' Strasburg said." So are we supposed to understand that Strasburg is confounded or unperturbed? Probably unperturbed. Second, a political correspondent at the BBC wrote that someone "seems quite bemused yet nonplussed by the attention." Wait, what? How can you be both bewildered ("bemused") yet also bewildered ("nonplussed")? Probably the BBC writer meant to say "amused yet unfazed."  Let's clarify. When something doesn't faze you, or when you're nonchalant, you're chill or calm about what's going on, and it doesn't bother you. That's very different from being "nonplussed," or totally taken off guard and not sure what to do or say, so you can see why it's a good idea to keep the meaning straight. Years from now I might have to concede the point that "unfazed" must be recognized as a correct meaning of "nonplussed." But I'm not there yet. :) examples: I'm nonplussed by sports trivia questions--it always comes down to something like, "Come on, just guess any golf club in Georgia," but I can't! Nonplussed, readers lingered over the first few paragraphs, unsure of whether they were reading satire. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "nonplussed" means when you can explain it without saying "speechless" or "confounded." try it out: Think of a time you were confused and unsure of what to do. Fill in the blanks: "Nonplussed by _____, I _____." Example: "Nonplussed by the very first question on the exam, I wasted several more moments in deliberation before guessing randomly and moving on." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. This month, we're playing with rhyming puzzles as we review previous words.  Examples: Someone who belts out songs in church with great gusto has ____ ___. Answer: hymn vim. And the barbecue place where you always meet up with your friends from Dallas and Houston is your _____ _____. Answer: Texas nexus. The puzzles, and their answers, will get longer and sillier as the month goes on. Click or mouse-over the link to the clue if you need it, and see each answer the following day. Enjoy! From yesterday: You stop by the corner store to grab a snack, but the assortment of grab-and-go sandwiches is looking pretty gross; the display clearly has gone untouched for a long time. Years, maybe? These sandwiches aren't just old; they're decaying. You're looking at ___________ ____ ___________. (Three words: the first has three syllables, the second has one, and the third has four. Clue: use this word.) Answer: convenience food decrepitude. Try this today: In your garden, you have three rows of trees and shrubs that you've trimmed artistically into shapes. The first row that visitors see contains your best work, pristine statues of animals; the second contains your less fancy work, with basic geometric shapes; and the third row contains your experimental work--here, things look so messy that you shoo away anyone holding a camera. That last row is your ________ _______ (Two words with four syllables each. Clue: use this word.) review today's word: 1. One opposite of NONPLUSSED is A. UNHESITATING B. INHIBITED C. DEFYING 2.  The _____ left them feeling nonplussed. A. dull opening scene, with its dreary music, B. sudden command to violate the longstanding policy C. formulaic and obviously rehearsed responses to the questions Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. B