brush-off 1 of 2

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

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brush (off)

2 of 2

verb

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)
Verb
Initially, Makua gave Momoa's offer a polite brush-off. Janee Bolden, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025 Some interpreted the moment as a blatant brush-off; however, others pointed out that Brigitte, 72, could simply have been focused on keeping her balance on the airplane steps or preparing herself to greet the Prince and Princess of Wales. Meredith Kile, People.com, 8 July 2025 But our findings suggest that the mere inclusion of abbreviations, although seemingly benign, start feeling like a brush-off. David Fang, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2025 But there are now pressing concerns over whether Trump will pull the U.S. from the alliance as part of his broader brush-off of America's allies—and whether the remaining nations of the Five Eyes could survive it. Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025 Alumi-Blast is an apt name for this low sheen coating that looks realistically like cast aluminum that has received a light brush-off abrasive blast at the factory. Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 26 June 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brush (off)
Noun
  • Wilcox challenged the dismissal.
    Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
  • The hammer blow was last week's dismissal by the Constitutional Court of Thaksin's daughter and protege Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the sixth prime minister from or backed by the Shinawatra family to be removed by the military or judiciary.
    Panarat Thepgumpanat, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • For critics, the pattern has laid bare the limits of the 2012 STOCK Act, which requires trades to be reported within weeks but imposes penalties so light that they are often shrugged off.
    Nik Popli, Time, 2 Sep. 2025
  • With many shrugging off such transcriptionists inside the office, etiquette around recording outside the office is fraying.
    Iain Martin, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • There was a unilateral rebuff toward the idea that the industry is experiencing a drummer shortage in general.
    Devon Ivie, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Some will see it as a safety feature, others as rejection, and bad actors may view it as a challenge to exploit.
    Victor Dey, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
  • Just like with federal student loans, incomplete applications are a recipe for rejection.
    Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The snub wasn't about form but experience.
    Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Barber wasn’t the only Chicago regular with a shocking festival snub.
    Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Several world leaders have already rejected the plan and insisted that the only solution is the creation of a Palestinian state once Hamas hands over the hostages and a new Palestinian government takes over.
    Michele Chabin, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Shi seemed confident that Strand Larsen, who was keen to join Newcastle United before the deadline, will knuckle down despite Wolves rejecting two bids.
    Steve Madeley, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The actor denied the allegations, and the case was later dismissed, per The Hollywood Reporter.
    Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Those who dismissed intersectionality saw such policies as little more than allowing the disadvantaged to commit crimes without consequences to make up for past inequities, afflicting crime victims from the same disadvantaged communities.
    John Scott Lewinski, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • While oud can be polarizing—prized by some for its longevity and scorned by others for its animalic bite—the version in this bottle is rounder, creamier, and more nuanced than your standard-issue oud oil, with a clarity that feels paradoxical given its depth.
    Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2025
  • In Splitsville, Julie is a wife scorned and ignored.
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025

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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 9 Sep. 2025.

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