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brushing (off)

verb

present participle of brush (off)
as in winking (at)

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for brushing (off)
  1. shrugging off
  2. dismissing
  3. rejecting
Verb
  • But on Tuesday, senators failed to advance the firms’ top legislative priority, shrugging off the threat of tens of millions of dollars that still could hit them this fall.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Part of it is that more women are speaking up about hair loss, shrugging off the stigma and reaching out for help.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of shrugging off
Verb
  • A day after dismissing Dana Brown, Astros owner Jim Crane fielded a question specifically about Bagwell’s potential candidacy.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • That doesn't mean Cramer is dismissing the risks from higher oil.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of dismissing
Verb
  • In rejecting his release in 2021, Newsom said Davis had continued to minimize his role in the crimes and shown a lack of empathy for his victims.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The bow-wielding heroine of Brave spends the film rejecting the idea that a princess has to be anything other than herself.
    — Sarah Scott, Parents, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of rejecting
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.

Browse Nearby Words

brushing (aside or off)
brushing (off)
brush (off)
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Cite this Entry

“Brushing (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brushing%20%28off%29. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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