sloughing (off)

verb

variants also sluffing (off)
present participle of slough (off)
as in casting (off)
to get rid of as useless or unwanted finally sloughed off the depression that had been weighing him down for months

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sloughing (off)
  1. losing
  2. rejecting
  3. throwing away
  4. dumping
  5. throwing out
  6. tossing
  7. eliminating
Verb
  • This is good energy for planning a date, creative project, or one-on-one conversation that needs structure without losing spark.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Former Miss North Carolina USA Brittany Boltinhouse is breaking her silence about losing her title weeks after winning the state pageant.
    — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of losing
Verb
  • Many residents are balking at that timing and at Ryan’s lawsuit against Killingly’s wetlands board for rejecting the first version of the plan on July 6.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Roster movement in both directions has been constant this year, from The New Day's exit to a former champion reportedly leaving after rejecting a new deal to the April release of 11 former champions.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of rejecting
Verb
  • Her designers even went to great lengths, throwing away fake scraps of fabric in the trash and creating a second dress in case the original got leaked.
    — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026
  • Knowing what those dates really mean will help Californians make informed decisions and avoid throwing away food unnecessarily while getting more value from every trip to the grocery store.
    — LeeAnn Weintraub, Oc Register, 25 July 2026
Definition of throwing away
Verb
  • Many larger animals eat frogs (and other small animals) and may carry them far away from their normal habitat before dumping the bones (either as a regurgitate or poo).
    — Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The woman's son told police that Merriweather forced pills from the victim's medicine into her mouth, followed by dumping a mixed drink down her throat.
    — Chris Hoffman, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of dumping
Verb
  • The team has also maintained a relationship with his widow and daughters, with Bianka Bryant throwing out the first pitch and Capri Bryant announcing the start of the game during a bobblehead night for the late legend last year.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 31 July 2026
  • McCray impacted the game on the bases by stealing second and on a sacrifice fly, then showed off his arm in the top of the 10th by throwing out a runner at third to end the inning.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 25 July 2026
Definition of throwing out
Verb
  • Spread on a sheet pan and roast at 400 F, tossing halfway through, until tender and lightly caramelized, about 25 minutes total.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • How to Remove Sunscreen From Washable Clothing If the sunscreen lands on a washable garment, follow these steps before tossing it into the laundry.
    — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of tossing
Verb
  • Deregulation is the first step toward completely sunsetting Head Start, according to Jonathan Butcher, the acting director of the Center for Education Policy at The Heritage Foundation, who is an advocate for eliminating the program.
    — Kate Sequeira, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Ng countered, arguing AI redefines job tasks rather than eliminating roles, and accused large companies of exaggerating threats to stifle competition, advocating for open models to prevent gatekeeping.
    — Ron Schmelzer, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of eliminating
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.

Browse Nearby Words

sloughing
sloughing (off)
slough of despond
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Cite this Entry

“Sloughing (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sloughing%20%28off%29. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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