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

Topping up the battery takes 90 minutes, according to Shift Robotics, and an IP54 rating means the shoes shrug off splashes but would not enjoy a swim. — New Atlas, 1 Oct. 2026

Wrapped in a tough, drop-proof fabric shell that floats and shrugs off water, it is engineered to survive real-world chaos. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 28 Sep. 2026

Vargo, 71, shrugged off criticism in an interview with the Orlando Sentinel. — Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026

Some are condemned swiftly and harshly, others are shrugged off almost entirely. — Matt Calkins Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 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