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

The market also shrugged off steep declines in private equity names, including KKR, Blackstone, and Apollo. —Paulina Likos, CNBC, 3 Mar. 2026

The varied genus offers tall and creeping varieties, all with succulent leaves that shrug off insects. —Jamie McIntosh, The Spruce, 3 Mar. 2026

On Monday, stocks had initially tumbled on concerns about the war's impact on energy prices, before rebounding and ending higher for the day as investors shrugged off those worries. —CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026

Investors who shrugged off last month’s artificial intelligence (AI) scare in the insurance sector might want to brace themselves for a reality check. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 3 Mar. 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