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
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Recent Examples of shrugging off
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
Investors are shrugging off the verdicts.
—Morgan Lee, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
Yet the ultra-rich are shrugging off their declining popularity — in part, by flexing their muscle in American politics.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 20 Mar. 2026
Perhaps shrugging off culture is a form of self-preservation to those of us who are easily overwhelmed by the way social-media algorithms accelerate consumption, and push individuals to engage in public conversation.
—Anna Holmes, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 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
Stocks closed higher on Monday, shrugging off a dip earlier in the day after reports of the DOJ probe into Powell.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 13 Jan. 2026
Stock market investors for now are shrugging off the Justice Department’s investigation into Powell.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
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
Investors are shrugging off the verdicts.
—Morgan Lee, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
Yet the ultra-rich are shrugging off their declining popularity — in part, by flexing their muscle in American politics.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 20 Mar. 2026
Perhaps shrugging off culture is a form of self-preservation to those of us who are easily overwhelmed by the way social-media algorithms accelerate consumption, and push individuals to engage in public conversation.
—Anna Holmes, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 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
Stocks closed higher on Monday, shrugging off a dip earlier in the day after reports of the DOJ probe into Powell.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 13 Jan. 2026
Stock market investors for now are shrugging off the Justice Department’s investigation into Powell.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrugging off
Verb
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Prosecutors accused the trust, which convinced a federal district judge to order a temporary pause in construction, of ignoring claims that the project is needed to bolster national security.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
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But three days after withdrawing the lawsuit, Florida sued CMS for a third time, accusing the federal agency of ignoring the state’s public records request related to CMS’ approval of the KidCare expansion.—
Daniel Chang,
Miami Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The bank added digital banking solutions company Q2 Holdings this month, while removing Alkami and Huntington Bancshares .—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
2 May 2026
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Under the War Power Act, a president must receive congressional approval by day 60 of a war or begin removing troops.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
2 May 2026
Verb
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What to read next The Japanese eatery, Yutori, is an open-air circular restaurant overlooking the sea.—
Ann Lee,
TheWeek,
30 Apr. 2026
-
All Angelenos saw were enormous letters appearing on a ridge overlooking the freeway, and the city lost its mind.—
Matti Yahav,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Thankfully Pal was forgiving, and didn’t hold a grudge for poor riding.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Apr. 2026
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Many of them are made from wrinkle-resistant fabrics or soft knits that bounce back after being packed, while others rely on flowy silhouettes and forgiving textures that don’t show creases.—
Becca Blond,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Correcting a deficiency is one of the most accessible interventions in everyday health and now there’s a compelling new reason to stop putting off that conversation.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
30 Apr. 2026
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The plan also reduced senior services, after-school programming, leaving four Police Department vacancies empty, and putting off replacing two patrol cars.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The homeowner, Thania Magana, said flight data showed a plane passing over her neighborhood at the time, according to Hahn.—
Daniel S. Levine,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
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At the time of liftoff, the ISS — currently home to the seven-member Expedition 74 crew — was passing over the northern Pacific Ocean, too far away for the astronauts to see the launch directly.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The New Glenn’s first test flight occurred on January 16, 2025, taking off from Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 May 2026
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As many Americans plan their summer vacations, airfares are taking off.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The species evolved to adapt, with some growing larger and others smaller than their mainland counterparts, explaining the larger size of the island scrub-jay and the small size of the island fox.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
29 Apr. 2026
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In 2012, Classic Media was bought by DreamWorks Animation, which in turn was acquired by Universal Pictures parent NBCUniversal in 2016, explaining why the potential Disney+ series is a co-production between DreamWorks Animation TV and UCP.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shrugging off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrugging%20off. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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