1
as in to ignore
to dismiss as of little importance
an administration that was willing to shrug off the problem
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of shrug off
French Finance Minister Roland Lescure shrugged off gyrations in the yen after chairing a meeting of his Group of Seven counterparts.
—
William Horobin, Bloomberg, 28 Jan. 2026
Senate Republicans plan to vote on a government funding package as soon as Thursday, shrugging off Democrats’ vows to filibuster the legislation unless DHS funding is removed and amended after two fatal Minnesota shootings.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Investors have largely shrugged off bouts of geopolitical brinkmanship, treating recent episodes, including the standoff over Greenland, as noise rather than a lasting risk.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
But don’t shrug off this gutsy film — one of the best movies of 2025.
—Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shrug off
William Horobin, Bloomberg, 28 Jan. 2026
Senate Republicans plan to vote on a government funding package as soon as Thursday, shrugging off Democrats’ vows to filibuster the legislation unless DHS funding is removed and amended after two fatal Minnesota shootings.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Investors have largely shrugged off bouts of geopolitical brinkmanship, treating recent episodes, including the standoff over Greenland, as noise rather than a lasting risk.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
But don’t shrug off this gutsy film — one of the best movies of 2025.
—Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shrug off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrug off
Verb
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And ignoring that fact is now no longer a laughing matter.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
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All of these teens had in fact ignored their notices to appear.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But videos of the incident do not show Pretti brandishing a gun, and one video appears to show an officer removing a gun from Pretti's waistband just moments before another agent fired the first shot.—
Jennifer Jacobs,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Once clear, the groups installed malware by removing the hard drive and installing the software directly, replacing the hard drive with one preloaded with Ploutus, or connecting an external device, such as a thumb drive, to deploy the malware.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But with performances like this, he could be forgiven for allowing his thoughts to drift briefly towards the summer in North America.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
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This is a powerful time to release emotional baggage and forgive yourself for past choices.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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However, don't overlook the kitchen and laundry room, which can also be prone to soap scum.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Jan. 2026
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The ranch overlooks the 5,000-acre Ramona Grasslands Nature Preserve, which is under the stewardship of San Diego County Department of Parks and Recreation.—
Regina Elling,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Viewers of Bridgerton are still likely, and rightfully, going to be put off by Benedict’s offer.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
30 Jan. 2026
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Leaving clean laundry in the dryer or hamper only puts off a chore until later, keeps clean clothes from its proper place, and also risks wrinkles or someone accidentally mistaking it for dirty laundry instead.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Gabbard has not explained her involvement in the case herself.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Jan. 2026
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On Rough and Rowdy Ways, Dylan also reemerges as a restless, sometimes cordial, often corrosive analyst, agreeing at last to engage—if not fully to explain—the whats, hows, and, possibly whys of his creative life.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Each time a car or truck passes over a road, its weight flexes the pavement and can create small cracks, the BBC reported in 2024.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Jan. 2026
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When one role means everything, the stakes become unbearably high — for the actor cast, for the actors passed over and for the audience watching yet another rare opportunity slip by.—
Gloria Calderon Kellett,
Deadline,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Howard, who had served as a second lieutenant with the Ninety‑Second Division, 366th Infantry in France during World War I, accused President Truman of using the Cold War to justify a sweeping peacetime expansion of America’s global military footprint.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
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And yet Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claims that the agents were justified despite evidence so clear that it can be found unedited on YouTube.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shrug off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrug%20off. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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