shrug off

verb

shrugged off; shrugging off; shrugs off

transitive verb

1
: to shake off
shrugging off sleep
2
: to brush aside : minimize
shrugs off the problem
3
: to remove (a garment) by wriggling out

Examples of shrug off in a Sentence

an administration that was willing to shrug off the problem she shrugged off her coat and hung it up neatly
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Robust turf growth is often able to shrug off occasional grub pressure, so care well for your lawn by supplying necessary nutrients and water. Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 June 2025 What’s strange is that the market appears to have shrugged off heavy loads that have been weighing it down since March. Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 26 June 2025 Miners or environmentalists reported that some investigators seemed to shrug off reports of equipment failure or toxic pollution. Laken Brooks, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025 This method is almost instinctual for Gilroy, who shrugs off any mention of process, philosophy, or approach. Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for shrug off

Word History

First Known Use

1902, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shrug off was in 1902

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shrug off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shrug%20off. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

shrug off

verb
1
: to brush aside as not important
2
: to take off (a garment) by wriggling out
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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