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
  • If a cyclist ignores a moving violation summons and gets stopped again while cycling, there’s nothing the NYPD can do other than issue more moving violation summonses that will be ignored and go unpaid.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • But that’s a much smaller part of the story than the argument suggests, and ignores that the majority of the competitive stakes in major European divisions are driven by the quest for continental competition.
    — Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of ignores
Verb
  • Hal clocks it, giving his protégé a long side-eye when the green birdie continues to hover overhead after John removes the ring.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The 23-year-old Spaniard is returning after four months out with a wrist injury, but Sinner’s withdrawal removes his biggest rival.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 23 Aug. 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
  • Jaida Hargrove's grandfather, Rick Arrate, lived alone on Peavine Mountain, which overlooks Reno and Sparks.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Located in the heart of it all, the home’s terrace overlooks the medina rooftops, Koutobia Mosque and the Atlas Mountains, but still feels a world away from the city’s bustle.
    — Katie Silcox, Vogue, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of overlooks
Verb
  • Here, The Athletic explains who York is, his background and his relationship to Leeds.
    — Beren Cross, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The album, Cole explains, became as much about the support surrounding heartbreak as heartbreak itself.
    — Krystie Lee Yandoli, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of explains
Verb
  • And because of the scheduling changes cited above, the number of games no longer justifies the cost.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
  • That is the premium lane with fewer tokens, priced for the work that justifies them.
    — Mark Minevich, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of justifies
Verb
  • 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
  • Regardless of whether Lala's eye passes over land, its impacts could be significant, AccuWeather Expert Meteorologist Tyler Roys said.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of passes over
Verb
  • 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
  • In this case, the vote also papers over Democrats’ internal divisions, given that the caucus is divided between hawkish Democrats sympathetic to attacking Iran and those who reject the attack outright.
    — Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 4 Mar. 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 1 Sep. 2026.

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