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

Skyrocketing costs In the Times, New College President Richard Corcoran shrugged off $83,207 per student in operating expenses, almost four times the average of all other Florida state colleges and universities. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2026

Madrigal shrugged off the scandal, reopening the locations in the fall. —Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 1 Jan. 2026

Markets shrugged off tariffs, a government shutdown and AI fears. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 31 Dec. 2025

One interesting takeaway from 2025 was that oil markets mostly shrugged off sanctions and infrastructure attacks, proof that in a glut, policymakers have more flexibility to use energy markets to hurt their adversaries without causing pain for their constituents. —Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 30 Dec. 2025

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