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shrugs off

verb

present tense third-person singular of shrug off
1
as in ignores
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 removes
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 shrugs off Turkey’s government insists its courts are independent as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shrugs off European rulings, a stance that has already fueled a diplomatic clash with Western ambassadors over Kavala’s detention. — Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026 The team shrugs off criticism that the end result was overbudget and overdue. — Lauren Victory, CBS News, 20 June 2026 Once again, Rodrigo shrugs off concern. — Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 15 June 2026 His Bear shrugs off advice from friends and co-workers Ian (Cooper Tomlinson) and Sara (Megan Lawless) who notice that Nikki seems to get more unhinged by the minute. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 13 May 2026 Singh shrugs off the need for external validation. — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026 Rough blazing star shrugs off humidity but skip planting in spots where the soil stays soggy in the winter. — Erica Browne Grivas, Midwest Living, 1 May 2026 Even now, Dickinson shrugs off people who complain that recent Maiden albums like The Book of Souls and Senjutsu lean too progressive. — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 29 Apr. 2026 Oleander is very heat and drought tolerant and shrugs off poor soil. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrugs off
  1. ignores
  2. removes
  3. forgives
  4. overlooks
  5. explains
  6. justifies
  7. passes over
  8. papers over
Verb
  • Suzanne, the sulky, artistic type, scowls and pointedly ignores their noisy energy.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The possibility of cloning the Peruvian system in Venezuela also ignores how long the process took.
    — Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of ignores
Verb
  • Regular washing removes allergens, germs, and buildup from skin, dust, and pet hair.
    — Sheila Kim, The Spruce, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Wastewater treatment removes a large share of those pollutants, but not everything disappears.
    — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of removes
Verb
  • But Hannah, who sees his true good nature, forgives him.
    — Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 22 May 2026
  • While The Pitt forgives and empathizes with Robby’s flaws, Robby is not called on to extend that empathy to others.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2026
Definition of forgives
Verb
  • The veteran journalist initially thought the jetliner might hit 2 Penn Plaza, the office building that overlooks Madison Square Garden.
    — Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Keep watch for wildlife from the route’s overlooks on your journey.
    — Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of overlooks
Verb
  • Viewed separately, each signal explains one part of the story.
    — Suresh Rajapakse, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Trump’s preference for immediate gratification explains many of his decisions, including defunding scientific and medical research, accelerating fossil-fuel emissions, and denigrating American soft power globally.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of explains
Verb
  • For wealth advisors and the product providers, like AQR and Quantinno, the complexity justifies the fees and benefits.
    — Robert Frank, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The overall experience more than justifies the 15-minute ferry ride from the mainland.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of justifies
Verb
  • Last season was hampered by an injury to starter Drew Allar, but Penn State has had more than eight passes over 40 yards, in a season, one time in the last six years.
    — The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Around 92% of the lunar surface will be covered when the eclipse passes over the KC skies, and the moon will be significantly darker with a slight red hue that can be seen with the naked eye.
    — Joseph Hernandez August 25, Kansas City Star, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of passes over
Verb
  • But this surface difference papers over something more fundamentally shared.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2026
  • With ballots set to be printed this week, the issue was appealed to the Alaska Supreme Court on an expedited basis, with both sides filing court papers over the weekend.
    — Joe Walsh, CBS News, 30 June 2026
Definition of papers over

Browse Nearby Words

shrugs
shrugs off
shrunk
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Cite this Entry

“Shrugs off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrugs%20off. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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