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

Synonyms of shrug off

• ignore
• forgive
• overlook
• explain
• pass over
• justify

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

Those ostensible allies shrugged off criticism of their destructive interventions in Libya, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. — Marc Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

Trump, now shrugging off concerns about the threat posed to those who remained aboard the plane he was supposed to be on. — ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026

Some fans who saw the footage largely shrugged off Miller’s protest. — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026

The spill-resistant keyboard is also able to shrug off any accidental spills or water splashes that come its way. — George Yang, PC Magazine, 11 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1902, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for shrug off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff

Kids Definition

shrug off

verb

1

: to brush aside as not important

2

: to take off (a garment) by wriggling out