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 Wrapped in a tough, drop-proof fabric shell that floats and shrugs off water, it is engineered to survive real-world chaos. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 28 Sep. 2026 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
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
  • The White House is likely to play hardball if confronted with investigations, and Democrats are bracing for an administration that potentially ignores subpoenas or refuses to turn over paperwork that lawmakers are demanding.
    — Lisa Mascaro, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Defending Israel's military strikes, Netanyahu blasted the dramatic hall exit as mind-blowing hypocrisy that ignores the global threat posed by Iran.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of ignores
Verb
  • Instead of replacing merchandisers, AI removes bottlenecks and gives time and control back to brand teams.
    — Zohar Gilad, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Cash does not mean skipping the closing process Another common misunderstanding is that selling for cash removes the normal legal steps involved in transferring real estate.
    — Ascend Agency, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of removes
Verb
  • After learning this, Ayad very quickly forgives this man who hit him.
    — Zain Khalid, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Patrick Clancy forgives his ex-wife In the days after the tragedy, Patrick wrote tributes to each of his three children and decided to publicly forgive Lindsay.
    — Ross Douthat, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of forgives
Verb
  • Follow the path to a deck made from ipe wood that overlooks Carbon Beach and Malibu Pier.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The agent finds a $475 room but overlooks fees that bring the total above $600.
    — Louis Hoch, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of overlooks
Verb
  • By comparison, strong fluid flows elongated the cells and caused DNA damage, a crucial control detail that explains why past experiments might have yielded misleading results.
    — Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • But New York always had allure, the Midwest native author explains to PEOPLE.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of explains
Verb
  • And for four consecutive games, the running back unit has proved it more than justifies the hype.
    — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Still, the goodness of the final product justifies the effort.
    — Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of justifies
Verb
  • The spacecraft must launch when the station’s orbital plane passes over the launch site.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2026
  • When the lead satellite passes over something big — for example, a glacier — the object’s gravity pulls the lead satellite faster, creating a larger, measurable gap between it and the follower satellite.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 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 6 Oct. 2026.

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