shrugging off

verb

present participle of shrug off
1
as in ignoring
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 removing
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 shrugging off Publicly, the White House is shrugging off the legal setbacks. — Toluse Olorunnipa, The Atlantic, 4 July 2026 Paul said, referring to an interview Edwards did several years ago shrugging off the Phoenix Suns’ addition of Kevin Durant. — Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 4 July 2026 The stock market surged over the first half of 2026, shrugging off a war in the Middle East, a historic oil shortage and fear of a bubble in artificial intelligence. — Max Zahn, ABC News, 30 June 2026 Lionel Messi showcased his legendary resilience, powering Argentina to a 2-0 victory over Iraq with two goals, shrugging off an early penalty kick miss. — Michael Lewis, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026 The bull market keeps shrugging off every reason to stop. — Benzinga, Freep.com, 23 May 2026 Trump has also lambasted members of the alliance for shrugging off requests to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, despite much of the oil that Europe relies on navigating through the waterway. — Haris Alic, The Washington Examiner, 15 May 2026 This suggests that Amodei believed Anthropic had more leverage on the Pentagon than the Pentagon had on it — the CEO of a company founded just five years ago shrugging off a threat from the world’s most powerful and best-funded entity. — U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026 The Europeans are shrugging off these comments, if not ignoring them entirely. — Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrugging off
  1. ignoring
  2. removing
  3. overlooking
  4. putting off
  5. forgiving
  6. taking off
  7. passing over
  8. explaining
Verb
  • But that didn’t stop him from taping interviews on Wednesday with various Chicago television newscasts from his downtown Chicago state office while ignoring follow-up requests from the Tribune.
    — Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Adding on to this trend, 70% of employees avoid difficult conversations entirely, and 53% handle toxic situations by ignoring them.
    — Jason Walker PsyD, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of ignoring
Verb
  • Advocates say the strategy encourages more diverse applicants, like first-generation students, by removing barriers to entry and boosting awareness of the often-generous scholarships available at private institutions.
    — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Harris indicated the markets for those players were not good enough to warrant removing them from the current team.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of removing
Verb
  • This gracious grand dame has possibly the best possible address in all of Stockholm, overlooking Strökajen Harbor in the city’s Norrmalm district, a short walk from the Royal Palace and the Old Town.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Tourists take photos at a viewing platform overlooking coffee plantations on June 4, 2026 in Baoshan, Yunnan Province of China.
    — Matthew Tan,Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of overlooking
Verb
  • Hundreds of military bases have been putting off cleanup of toxic PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, for years, according to a new USA TODAY analysis of military records.
    — Austin Fast, USA Today, 26 July 2026
  • Home Depot and Lowe’s both told investors this year that homeowners are putting off larger home improvement projects – those often associated with fixer-upper homes.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
Definition of putting off
Verb
  • Since the education minister's resignation, Modi has also spoken of forgiving those who had mocked the prime minister, an apparent effort to reconnect with younger audiences.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Find the less desirable line, however, and the hole remains forgiving enough to leave a straightforward approach and an excellent chance to make par.
    — Jeff Goudy, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of forgiving
Verb
  • The glossy finish is subtle, sophisticated, and exactly why the trend is taking off.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 31 July 2026
  • Araki, like directors Richard Linklater and Todd Haynes, then began a long relationship with the Sundance Film Festival right when the indie boom of the ’90s was taking off.
    — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of taking off
Verb
  • With eclipses passing over the country three years in a row, Spain is well on its way to cementing its reputation as a premier astrotourism destination.
    — Catherine Tansey, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 July 2026
  • The center of Super Typhoon Bavi, the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane, was passing over Rota, an island of 2,000 people in the Northern Mariana Islands.
    — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Definition of passing over
Verb
  • At its investor day in June, Honeywell Aerospace spent time explaining their strategy to transform their supply chain, including better planning, factory throughput and the embrace of AI tools.
    — Zev Fima,Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, the city will work on outreach to get vacant properties registered while putting together a guide explaining what the standards are for owners.
    — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of explaining

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shrugging
shrugging off
shrug off
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Cite this Entry

“Shrugging off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrugging%20off. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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