shrug off

verb

shrugged off; shrugging off; shrugs off
Synonyms of shrug offnext

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.
Singh shrugs off the need for external validation. Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026 Even shrugging off the disappointment of missing a sitter of a backhand when up break point a couple of points earlier. Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 9 May 2026 Josh Hart shrugged off the question — because no one cares about first-round playoff series victories. Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 4 May 2026 Howard, who has been a police officer for 24 years, elected and reelected from a blue district, shrugged off the video. Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 2 May 2026 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

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Cite this Entry

“Shrug off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shrug%20off. Accessed 11 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

shrug off

verb
1
: to brush aside as not important
2
: to take off (a garment) by wriggling out
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