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
  • Things get even more alarming when Eidra can’t reach Tom Libby and reports start rolling in that Vaughn is dismissing everyone in Trowbridge’s government who’d had a significant relationship with Kate and her team.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Citing 2026 laureate Navi Pillay—known for charging Israel with genocide and dismissing free speech—Schatz warns the award now rewards ideological insider posturing rather than genuine efforts to achieve international peace.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of dismissing
Verb
  • Alvarez said that rejecting Amendment 2 means rejecting the small farmer who can’t keep cows in the field.
    — Romy Ellenbogen Herald, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Stewart was an executive producer of his friend Colbert’s show and harshly criticized the cancellation, rejecting Paramount’s financial justification and accusing the company of bending the knee to the president.
    — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 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 25 Oct. 2026.

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