as in ignoring
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 brushing (aside or off)
Verb
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Over the summer the FDA convened a panel on the safety of certain antidepressants in pregnancy that tried to cast doubt on this research, ignoring the real harms of not treating depression or anxiety for pregnant people themselves and for their fetuses.—
Tanya Lewis,
Scientific American,
23 Oct. 2025 -
But the writers, like Noah and Joanne, are ignoring that fundamental fork in the road in favor of inane high jinks from the couple and their increasingly irksome friends and family.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Some viewers though were less than forgiving.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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The Boss was essentially thanking the Taxi Driver scribe for forgiving the creative larceny Springsteen perpetrated in those early days of his career.—
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul, once an Ottoman imperial residence, is now a luxury hotel overlooking the Bosphorus.—
Susmita Baral,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Oct. 2025
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Today, the mountaintop hotel overlooking Eureka Springs offers ghost tours through its Victorian halls and former morgue, and the price of a room ranges from about $150 to $600.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Over the next week, Melissa is passing over some warmer than usual waters in the Caribbean, which has not seen a tropical storm or hurricane yet this season.—
Alex Harris,
Miami Herald,
21 Oct. 2025
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Simply rake fallen leaves from landscape beds into piles and mow over them on your lawn, chopping them into small pieces by passing over them several times.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The goal of a lifetime,’’ Corso said after the game, explaining his rationale.—
Dana O'Neil,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
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The man responded, explaining that his relationship with Tony’s family went far beyond casual friendliness.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But the results were papering over some crumbly performances.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Brushing (aside or off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brushing%20%28aside%20or%20off%29. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
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