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

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.
Back in July, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins dismissed the possibility of amnesty for farmworkers — and shrugged off the idea that foreign workers are needed in the agriculture sector. Patricia Lopez, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025 While the question has followed the speaker throughout the shutdown, Johnson has shrugged off the delay, denying that his decision is related to Grijalva's intent to become the 218 signature on a discharge petition forcing a vote to release the Department of Justice's full Jeffrey Epstein file. Lauren Peller, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2025 Slot shrugged off suggestions that this is the most difficult period he’s experienced as a manager. James Pearce, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025 Until recently, investors have shrugged off everything from the government shutdown to stretched valuations, buoyed by the AI boom and resilient consumer data. Dave Smith, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shrug off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shrug%20off. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

shrug off

verb
1
: to brush aside as not important
2
: to take off (a garment) by wriggling out
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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