: a quietly curt or disdainful dismissal

Examples of brush-off in a Sentence

the mayor tends to give anyone under voting age the brush-off
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But there are now pressing concerns over whether Trump will pull the U.S. from the alliance as part of his broader brush-off of America's allies—and whether the remaining nations of the Five Eyes could survive it. Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of brush-off was in 1938

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Cite this Entry

“Brush-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brush-off. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

brush-off

noun
ˈbrəsh-ˌȯf
: rude treatment or behavior by someone who is not interested at all in what another person wants or asks for
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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