1
as in to ignore
to dismiss as of little importance
an administration that was willing to shrug off the problem
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to remove
to rid oneself of (a garment)
she shrugged off her coat and hung it up neatly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of shrug off
Karnišovas shrugged off this sudden change in outlook, citing their potential use in trades.
—
Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Franklin shrugged off the room’s struggles when asked about drops and staff changes in San Francisco.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Swindell, a 2001 inductee into UT’s Women’s Hall of Honor, shrugged off her role as a pioneer, however.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 2 Feb. 2026
Golden ultimately shrugged off the controversial move last week while guaranteeing a Gators’ win even if Bediako played.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shrug off
Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Franklin shrugged off the room’s struggles when asked about drops and staff changes in San Francisco.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Swindell, a 2001 inductee into UT’s Women’s Hall of Honor, shrugged off her role as a pioneer, however.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 2 Feb. 2026
Golden ultimately shrugged off the controversial move last week while guaranteeing a Gators’ win even if Bediako played.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shrug off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrug off
Verb
-
Roughly a year after his initial declaration, observers inside and outside the industry said networks had mostly ignored Jackson, and that little had changed.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
But dismissing or minimizing disappointment can unintentionally teach children to ignore or suppress emotions.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Parents,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The trooper then removed Jackson from the vehicle.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Jailbreaking in this context refers to a process that removes software restrictions placed on a piece of hardware.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Part of this is internal, forgiving any part of yourself that feels bad for holding on to the hurt and comforting the younger version of yourself that is still alive inside you and vividly feeling that hurt.—
Eric Thomas,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Englander still hasn’t forgiven Lappe for eliminating him and Sherman Oaks Little League in the 2023 regional playoffs.—
Eric Sondheimer
Columnist
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Noll noted that academic studies have found that estimates often overlook that a large portion of hotel and rental car revenue goes to national chains based outside the region.—
Ethan Varian,
Mercury News,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Upstairs, three en suite bedrooms and a spacious game room open to a balcony featuring a double-sided fireplace that overlooks the property.—
Allie Beth Allman & Associates,
Dallas Morning News,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Administrators report that many students are now afraid of having sociology classes on their transcripts, as this may put off potential employers.—
Wendy Nelson Espeland,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
This unique point of view has won plaudits from those watching NBC‘s broadcast, even though a few fans have been put off by the trackers’ incessant zipping noise.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Whitwam explains that Catalina mule deer hunting was traditionally reserved for island residents and their guests, or hunters who were willing to book with a local guide.—
Kris Millgate,
Outdoor Life,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs argued Brady’s role as a sports network broadcaster — not just a Patriots icon — explains his neutral stance.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Yet he was passed over for the accolade.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
-
It could be mistaken for the latter only because Jokic had thrown so many errant passes over the last two hours already.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Conspicuous logos and seasonal hype no longer justify their price or promise.—
Yiling Pan,
Vogue,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Additionally, hyperscalers, including Amazon , Microsoft , Meta , and Alphabet , announced capital expenditure of up to $700 billion on AI this year, which has raised concerns over returns and whether the extent of AI spend is justified.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shrug off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrug%20off. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
