as in to shrug off
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as in dismissal
treatment that is deliberately unfriendly
the mayor tends to give anyone under voting age the brush-off
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Recent Examples of 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
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
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
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)
Verb
-
For years, megacap tech companies with hefty balance sheets have been able to shrug off rising rates, which tend to weigh more heavily on smaller, less-profitable peers.
-
The team shrugs off criticism that the end result was overbudget and overdue.
Noun
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But his tenure was also marked by a notoriously volatile temperament that ultimately led to his dismissal in September 2000.
-
Just a brutal start for Qatar, which now gets a red card and the dismissal of Homam El Amin.
Verb
-
Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez rejected those motions.
-
Goldman has drawn criticism for refusing to reject support from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobbying group.
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.
-
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.
Verb
-
The firms asked the judge to dismiss the case Wednesday, arguing Uber had failed to prove fraud.
-
Delta denied this in its legal response, seeking to dismiss the case.
Noun
-
This finding specifically held true for people with fearful and preoccupied attachment styles, two subtypes of insecure attachment associated with a craving for intimacy but, respectively, a deep fear of it or a fear of rejection and abandonment.
-
Someone with anxious attachment may worry about rejection, seek excessive reassurance or feel uncertain about the stability of relationships.
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.
-
Gerardo Ortiz What’s a música mexicana festival without a bit of yearning and scorned romance?
Noun
-
Among them… What would be the biggest snub?
-
Tuesday’s episode opened with a news-making conversation with Harry Maguire, a controversial snub from England’s roster, before pivoting to discussion of the previous day’s matches.
Cite this Entry
“Brush (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brush%20%28off%29. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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