as in to shrug off
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as in dismissal
treatment that is deliberately unfriendly
the mayor tends to give anyone under voting age the brush-off
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brush (off)
David Browne, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2025
That brush-off on top of Chris somehow edging her out of the Olympic team so that Tunde wound up as an alternate was too much not to go nuclear.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2025
Initially, Makua gave Momoa's offer a polite brush-off.
—Janee Bolden, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025
Some interpreted the moment as a blatant brush-off; however, others pointed out that Brigitte, 72, could simply have been focused on keeping her balance on the airplane steps or preparing herself to greet the Prince and Princess of Wales.
—Meredith Kile, People.com, 8 July 2025
But our findings suggest that the mere inclusion of abbreviations, although seemingly benign, start feeling like a brush-off.
—David Fang, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2025
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
Alumi-Blast is an apt name for this low sheen coating that looks realistically like cast aluminum that has received a light brush-off abrasive blast at the factory.
—Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 26 June 2023
Noun
But his subtle brush-off of Collins is a sign of the cocky and brash kid already beginning to emerge — the same one who could cut down people down to size on his way to redefining himself and jolting both the New York folk scene and the world of pop at large.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for brush (off)
Verb
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Skyrocketing costs In the Times, New College President Richard Corcoran shrugged off $83,207 per student in operating expenses, almost four times the average of all other Florida state colleges and universities.—
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Oil markets largely shrugged off Maduro’s arrest, a sign traders don’t expect a flood of sanction-free barrels back on the market anytime soon.—
Noun
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Four Democratic-Farm-Labor Party lawmakers who chair state Senate education committees cited Minneapolis Public Schools canceling classes and extracurricular activities last week after federal agents reportedly clashed with students and staff during Roosevelt High School’s dismissal on Wednesday.—
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Prosecutors noted that after receiving the money, the defendants filed loan forgiveness applications containing further inaccuracies, which led to the dismissal of some debt.—
Noun
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The matter-of-fact rebuff feels very French, very Oklou.—
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There was a unilateral rebuff toward the idea that the industry is experiencing a drummer shortage in general.—
Noun
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The movement is considered a response to the ever-present and growing sense of alienation among people, as well as a rejection of the traditional depictions of everyday life in Eastern Europe.—
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Cyclosporine Cyclosporine is an immunosuppressant that is used after an organ transplant to prevent organ rejection.—
Verb
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Bonta rejected the allegations as unsubstantiated and said the states were targeted solely because of their political leadership.—
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For at least the third time in just over a year, Humphrey has rejected most serious charges against rule-breaking cops.—
Noun
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Another of Miami’s Pro Bowl snubs, center Aaron Brewer, earned second-team All-Pro honors Saturday, behind the Kansas City Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey on first team.—
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Serdachny, who scored the golden goal at 2024 worlds in Utica, is arguably the Canadians’ biggest snub.—
Verb
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In September, Hecox filed a notice to dismiss the lawsuit.—
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Why was Alabama’s 31-17 loss to a 4-8 FSU team so easily dismissed by the committee?—
Verb
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Watch this episode for Edie Falco's fiery, Emmy-winning performance as a woman both exhausted and scorned.—
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However, Eleanor is not a woman to be scorned.—
Cite this Entry
“Brush (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brush%20%28off%29. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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