as in ignores
to dismiss as of little importance
brushed off their complaints as the whining of people who were never satisfied
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brushes (aside or off)
Verb
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Ma puts the red wine to one side, ignores the shortbread, and scoops a glob of cream cheese onto her fingertip.—
Molly Aitken,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026 -
But that ignores the middle stages, where the majority of the chaos and excitement happens.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The bottom line There is no federal program that directly forgives or restructures credit card debt, but that doesn't mean borrowers are stuck.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
8 Dec. 2025
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Sinnott forgives his parents, and parents today who waver on vaccination.—
Arthur Allen,
Miami Herald,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Named for the three-point shaking technique pioneered by Japanese bartender Kazuo Uyeda, the lounge overlooks the Strip with indigo banquettes, a dark stone bar and floor-to-ceiling windows.—
Melinda Sheckells,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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The property, which fans out from the original Victorian building, overlooks the Pacific and is located about 13 miles south of Fort Bragg, just past the adorable town of Mendocino.—
Chelsee Lowe,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Accidental ingestion is safe for healthy adults, says Wang, who explains that the hard outer coating of citrus seeds prevents the release of potential toxins, allowing the seeds to pass through the body undigested.—
Stacey Lastoe,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
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Carmi explains that progress was not linear for him, but the journey still feels well worth the challenges.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Even the National Rifle Association has rebuked a federal prosecutor who suggested that approaching law enforcement with a gun justifies being shot.—
Binaifer Nowrojee,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
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In an age when polarized politics have whipped extremists into a frenzy and disagreeing with someone’s views justifies physical assault among fringe elements, the assault on Omar is a new abysmal milestone of societal degradation.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
29 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Brushes (aside or off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brushes%20%28aside%20or%20off%29. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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