BRUSHING (OFF) Synonyms: 67 Similar and Opposite Words

brushing (off)

verb

present participle of brush (off)

as in winking (at)

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for brushing (off)

Verb

Publicly, the White House is shrugging off the legal setbacks.

— Toluse Olorunnipa, The Atlantic, 4 July 2026
Paul said, referring to an interview Edwards did several years ago shrugging off the Phoenix Suns’ addition of Kevin Durant.

— Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 4 July 2026

Definition of shrugging off

Verb

The program was established by state lawmakers in 2018 as a way to help stem the tide of mental illness in jails and prisons, usually by dismissing cases and offering treatment for the underlying conditions behind a defendant’s arrest.

— Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 6 July 2026
Manchester, for example, was in court for a year after dismissing a contractor from the Parkade redevelopment job, and ended up paying $2 million.

— Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2026

Definition of dismissing

Verb

As with any tax relief company, there are complaints about the IRS rejecting a settlement or the company not getting enough relief.

— Nick Perry, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Florida leads the nation with 375 active 287(g) agreements, and Attorney General James Uthmeier has previously threatened officials in Fort Myers and Key West with removal from office for rejecting such deals.

— Jessica Lipscomb, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026

Definition of rejecting

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“Brushing (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brushing%20%28off%29. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of brushing (off)

verb

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