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 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 Trump, now shrugging off concerns about the threat posed to those who remained aboard the plane he was supposed to be on. — ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026 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 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
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
  • The 86-year-old woman accused the UFW Foundation and the César Chávez Foundation of enabling Chávez’s attacks, ignoring complaints, and covering up evidence of the incidents.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Sofia, after 17 years, looks at this as a dead end in their relationship, another example of completely ignoring her needs, and maybe her unspoken desire to move back to their native Spain.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of ignoring
Verb
  • Water filtration is an easy option for backpackers but is less effective at removing viruses.
    — Elaine Reno, The Conversation, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The real frontier is removing the human latency between seeing a problem and solving it, and that’s exactly what agentic AI can help make possible.
    — Devendra Rajput, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of removing
Verb
  • The store, with its eye-catching cat sculpture overlooking the entrance, is hard to miss on a bustling stretch of Magnolia Avenue in Burbank.
    — Yvonne Villaseñor, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • As with the entry foyer, multiple large windows effectively create a wall of glass overlooking the view, while sliding glass doors provide easy access to a rear deck that spans the rear of the home.
    — James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of overlooking
Verb
  • Stop putting off that next step for your side hustle and find the perfect person to take your business to the next level.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Poppe said the company was putting off $2 billion in work — not for wildfire mitigation or safety, but for housing developments, renewable energy projects and other efforts.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of putting off
Verb
  • More gummies than grizzlies, the Bears will likely be overly forgiving in myriad areas — especially defending the pass.
    — Brad Evans, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The relentless pace of Line Sheet is forgiving for its author.
    — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of forgiving
Verb
  • Scooter already has three children and Sydney’s career is still taking off in a major way.
    — Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Flights are typically halted from the nearby airport when the president is taking off.
    — Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of taking off
Verb
  • Related Articles The board previously resolved to erect new buildings for the Latino Museum and the American Women’s History Museum, passing over Arts and Industries.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The August 12 eclipse swept across the Northern Hemisphere, traveling from Russia to Spain and passing over parts of Greenland, Iceland and Portugal.
    — Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of passing over
Verb
  • The Big Ten early Sunday morning released a statement and video footage explaining the call.
    — Austin Meek, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Restaurant owner Sachiyo Nakato Takahara places noodles, cabbage, onion and tofu into the sizzling, fragrant pot while explaining the significance of the meal, an intimate one typically enjoyed by close friends or family.
    — Nila Roper, AJC.com, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of explaining

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Cite this Entry

“Shrugging off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrugging%20off. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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