shrug off

verb

shrugged off; shrugging off; shrugs off

transitive verb

1
: to shake off
shrugging off sleep
2
: to brush aside : minimize
shrugs off the problem
3
: to remove (a garment) by wriggling out

Examples of shrug off in a Sentence

an administration that was willing to shrug off the problem she shrugged off her coat and hung it up neatly
Recent Examples on the Web Toyota shrugged off investor complaints about its slow transition to battery electric vehicles, and instead made a successful bet on hybrids, more suited to markets like the U.S. Lionel Lim, Fortune Asia, 30 Oct. 2024 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov shrugged off Rutte’s comments and noted that Pyongyang and Moscow signed a joint security pact last June. Lorne Cook and Tara Copp, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2024 Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams completed 23 of 29 passes for 226 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another 56 yards as the Bears (4-2) shrugged off a slow start and pounded the Jaguars (1-5), scoring on five of six possessions and opening a 25-point lead early in the fourth quarter. Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 14 Oct. 2024 But despite the severity of the assault, Cloudflare was able to essentially shrug off the attacks, citing its robust network coverage and defense systems. Michael Kan, PCMAG, 2 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for shrug off 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shrug off.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1902, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shrug off was in 1902

Dictionary Entries Near shrug off

Cite this Entry

“Shrug off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shrug%20off. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

shrug off

verb
1
: to brush aside as not important
2
: to take off (a garment) by wriggling out
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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