laugh off

verb

Definition of laugh offnext
as in to minimize

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of laugh off The casual references to him as a billionaire, however, is one gibe that Lamont laughs off. — Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 13 Apr. 2026 Give yourself some grace, laugh off the awkward interactions, and remember that every misstep is just another story to bring home. — Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 15 Aug. 2025 Prince William laughed off the question from Heart Breakfast hosts Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 26 May 2026 In a video from Reuters, Charles appeared to laugh off Stewart's comment and said something unintelligible before turning to shake hands with Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, who also got a chuckle out of the exchange. — Mike Snider, USA Today, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for laugh off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laugh off
  1. minimize
  2. play down
  3. shrug off
  4. discount
  5. undervalue
  6. belittle
  7. underrate
Verb
  • To minimize risks during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) advises incorporating frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 4 July 2026
  • Keep all windows and doors closed so your pet cannot easily escape, and draw the shades to minimize the sound and flashes of light.
    — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Definition of minimize
Verb
  • The host nation won comfortably despite playing down a man from the 64th minute on.
    — Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026
  • Even for the Kremlin, which often plays down painful setbacks, the stark reality has become hard to sidestep.
    — Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 29 June 2026
Definition of play down
Verb
  • Teskey also shrugged off concerns about an AI data center bubble.
    — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 2 July 2026
  • And that allowed another hero to shrug off the pain of his own wounds and step up big.
    — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of shrug off
Verb
  • And in honor of the Fourth of July weekend, so many coveted styles are on sale, with some even double discounted with checkout code SAVE.
    — Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 3 July 2026
  • Since Lululemon rarely discounts its most popular styles, this is one of the best opportunities to stock up before the holiday, and if history is any indication, the best colors and sizes won't stay in stock for long.
    — Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
Definition of discount
Verb
  • Citi upgrades Lockheed Martin to buy from neutral Citi says shares are undervalued.
    — Michael Bloom, CNBC, 1 July 2026
  • The skilled trades, long undervalued, are among the most resilient to AI disruption.
    — Anna Demeo, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of undervalue
Verb
  • The Babylon Bee posted a satirical video suggesting that if a female president was mercurial — launching foreign wars, trade wars and petty feuds — and focusing on gewgaws and shoes, she’d be endlessly belittled.
    — Maureen Dowd, Mercury News, 23 June 2026
  • Trump, on the other hand, belittles and degrades people every day.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2026
Definition of belittle
Verb
  • Berchild is a hardworking player with good skill and a good shot; people at the program will argue he’s been underrated.
    — Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 27 June 2026
  • American craft distilleries are seriously underrated, and some are producing whiskey as good as—or even exceeding—major legacy whiskeymakers.
    — David Thomas Tao, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026
Definition of underrate

Browse Nearby Words

laughingstocks
laugh off
laughs
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Laugh off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laugh%20off. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on laugh off

Nglish: Translation of laugh off for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All