1
as in ignored
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 removed
to rid oneself of (a garment)
she shrugged off her coat and hung it up neatly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shrugged off
With two minutes left, quarterback Justin Herbert shrugged off or evaded multiple would-be tacklers, scrambled to his left and was able to throw around an oncoming defender’s shoulder pad and fit the pass into a sliver of space for a 20-yard, game-tying touchdown.
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Andrew Greif, NBC news, 24 Sep. 2025
Williams Racing Formula One driver Carlos Sainz has shrugged off the comparison with Lewis Hamilton after securing his first podium with the team this year at last weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
—Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Cronenworth, who came up through the minor leagues playing primarily at shortstop, shrugged off the praise.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Sep. 2025
Trump has argued Kimmel was canceled because of bad ratings and shrugged off questions about free speech implications.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 20 Sep. 2025
For critics, the pattern has laid bare the limits of the 2012 STOCK Act, which requires trades to be reported within weeks but imposes penalties so light that they are often shrugged off.
—Nik Popli, Time, 2 Sep. 2025
The housing market this week largely shrugged off the turmoil at the Federal Reserve.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Speaking to reporters Friday morning, the governor — who has fiercely defended the state’s immigrant-detention efforts — shrugged off Williams’ decision.
—Dara Kam, Miami Herald, 23 Aug. 2025
Fulham’s equaliser in the final seconds at the weekend was also at the back post after Rodrigo Muniz shrugged off James Milner to meet a Brighton player’s flick-on.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrugged off
Verb
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Great Again hats and T-shirts emblazoned with Kirk’s face, ignored the registration queries and continued chatting with friends.—
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Although the federal law raising the tobacco purchase age to 21 took effect in 2019, many retailers either ignored the regulation or failed to check buyers’ ages.—
Verb
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The woman died shortly after being removed from the car.—
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Earlier this year, Ohio's Republican lawmakers tried to eliminate an effort that would have allowed children to remain on Medicaid until their fourth birthdays, regardless of changes in circumstances that would have otherwise removed them from the health insurance program.—
Verb
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Her mother, a beloved teacher who worked in the city’s public housing communities and juvenile detention system, often went beyond the classroom, visiting students’ homes, helping with homework and serving as a lifeline for kids, who society had overlooked.—
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According to her, the team overlooked Cleveland coming into Sunday.—
Verb
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Not everything that unfolds on a baseball field needs to be explained.—
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In early January 2025, the Bureau of Land Management website explained the communities are in an area that climate change is rendering uninhabitable, mentioning climate eight times.—
Verb
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Dennis-Sutton, like Allar and about a half dozen of their talented teammates, decided to put off the NFL to return to Happy Valley this season to chase championships and finally help relieve Franklin of his big-game burden.—
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Students from the kingdom are increasingly turning away from US universities in particular, put off by a mix of hostile immigration policies, concerns over gun violence, and the kingdom’s own push to grow its domestic education sector.—
Verb
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Yet, even healthy seniors were frequently passed over.—
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The sole exception is that the hosts of The View were passed over in this category in favor of Jenna Bush Hager and Hoda Kotb, hosts of Today With Hoda & Jenna (NBC).—
Verb
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There’s been nothing diva-ish about Brown’s public comments — even if calling for the ball would have been justified.—
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His message was 180 degrees opposed to progressive ideologue professors who teach students that opposing speech is itself a threat and that violent responses are justified when their ideas are challenged.—
Cite this Entry
“Shrugged off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrugged%20off. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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