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

With a dust and waterproof rating of IP57, the earbuds can also shrug off moisture and sweat, whether jogging in the rain or enduring a punishing workout. —Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026

Trump shrugged off the potential confirmation hurdle. —Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 30 Jan. 2026

Golden ultimately shrugged off the controversial move last week while guaranteeing a Gators’ win even if Bediako played. —Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2026

Maintaining a peaceful, stable democracy is nearly impossible when some prominent figures are willing to inflame and then shrug off violence against their political adversaries. —David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 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