brush (off) 1 of 2

Definition of brush (off)next

brush-off

2 of 2

noun

as in dismissal
treatment that is deliberately unfriendly the mayor tends to give anyone under voting age the brush-off

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of brush (off)
Noun
The comment has done little to settle the debate, with fans remaining divided on whether to take her denial seriously or read it as a playful brush-off. Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2026 But his subtle brush-off of Collins is a sign of the cocky and brash kid already beginning to emerge — the same one who could cut down people down to size on his way to redefining himself and jolting both the New York folk scene and the world of pop at large. David Browne, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2025 That brush-off on top of Chris somehow edging her out of the Olympic team so that Tunde wound up as an alternate was too much not to go nuclear. Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brush (off)
Verb
  • Teskey also shrugged off concerns about an AI data center bubble.
    Hugh Leask, CNBC, 2 July 2026
  • And that allowed another hero to shrug off the pain of his own wounds and step up big.
    Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Noun
  • The insensitive promotion was swiftly canceled, leading to the CEO's dismissal, a public apology, and mandatory history training for 24,000 employees.
    Roger Dooley, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • But the European Court of Justice dismissal on Thursday marks the end of that process.
    ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • Those seeking to stop the roundup reject almost all of the federal agencies’ claims, from the size of the herd to the notion that the horses cause ecological damage.
    Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
  • While state studies have criticized the state’s education governance model, voters have rejected at least four attempts dating back to 1928 to reform the position.
    Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • Despite the Reina Sofía’s many refusals to lend the work to various institutions around the world, its rebuff of the Guggenheim’s request carries a particular sting because the Basque Country has long held that the painting belongs in the place where the depicted tragedy occurred.
    News Desk, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2026
  • The latest rebuff of state overreach was the dismissal last week of the highly questionable felony case against respected Waukegan City Clerk Janet Kilkelly brought by the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office.
    Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • In April, the Superior Court dismissed the three citations Hubbard received in May 2025 when no park ranger or city attorney appeared for the prosecution, his lawsuit states.
    Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • Freeney did not dismiss the business side of the arrangement.
    Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
Noun
  • Using basic academic terminology would place grants at risk of rejection or termination on political grounds.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026
  • That persisted into 2026 amid disagreements over the Russian war on Ukraine, including Meloni’s rejection of a proposal by Britain and France to send European troops there following a possible ceasefire.
    ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • That lineage become a source of attention and scorn for the 33-year-old first time candidate, who created what critics called out as a sometimes outlandish social media personality to generate attention.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 24 June 2026
  • Gerardo Ortiz What’s a música mexicana festival without a bit of yearning and scorned romance?
    Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2026
Noun
  • Minions & Monsters nods to the Academy snubs with a recurring gag imagining a Minion director receiving a Golden Banana trophy.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 26 June 2026
  • He’s never played for Team Canada in a best-on-best, including a snub this year despite career-best production.
    Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 19 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Brush (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brush%20%28off%29. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

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