slough (off)

verb

variants also sluff (off)
Definition of slough (off)next
as in to lose
to get rid of as useless or unwanted finally sloughed off the depression that had been weighing him down for months

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for slough (off)
  1. lose
  2. reject
  3. dump
  4. toss
  5. eliminate
  6. throw away
  7. ditch
  8. discard
Verb
  • The Padres, meanwhile, have lost six straight and given up 66 runs over the last six days, the most in such a span in franchise history.
    — Liana Handler Follow, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • But water also carries the potential for danger, and parents who have lost a child to drowning are begging families to use caution.
    — Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Definition of lose
Verb
  • Critics see it as another attempt to breathe life into claims that courts, investigators and election officials have repeatedly rejected — and another corrosive attempt to undermine faith in the state’s vote.
    — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 6 July 2026
  • Questioning, if not rejecting, established Christian doctrine, Ahab also comes to regard Moby Dick as the outward and visible sign, the physical embodiment of the indifference or, worse, utter malignity inherent in the universe.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
Definition of reject
Verb
  • The Category 4 storm brought 140 mph winds and a 15-foot storm surge to parts of the Gulf Coast before combining with a separate system, dumping over 30 inches of rain in parts of North Carolina over the span of a few days.
    — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 4 July 2026
  • Add three-quarters of the celery mixture to the potatoes and marinating liquid, dump in the mayo dressing, and gently stir to combine.
    — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026
Definition of dump
Verb
  • Contreras was tossed immediately, while Red Sox outfielder Nate Eaton, interim manager Chad Tracy and Washington pitcher Miles Mikolas were all sent to the showers early.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • Guardians rookie Cooper Ingle made a routine catch last night and tossed the ball into the stands.
    — Chris Branch, New York Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of toss
Verb
  • Solar power and advanced water recycling systems would eliminate the need for utility hookups, only requiring occasional deliveries of potable water and propane to run the systems.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • The 2026 World Cup party will go on without any of its three hosts, as Team USA was outclassed 4-1 by Belgium Monday night and eliminated in the Round of 16.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 July 2026
Definition of eliminate
Verb
  • Rats are burrowing into aid parcels, forcing people to throw away scarce rice or flour supplies.
    — Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
  • John Wilson/Netflix ©2026 Netflix is going to throw away money on blockbuster critical flops anyway.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Definition of throw away
Verb
  • That meant ditching some of the traditional tools used in vehicle design, like the clay models used by car designers since the 1930s.
    — Andrew Staples, Fortune, 3 July 2026
  • Why singles are ditching dating apps Dating app fatigue is measurable.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of ditch
Verb
  • That book is a revenge fantasy about the former art school professor who seduced her, discarded her and destroyed her confidence as a painter.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 2 July 2026
  • One of the most direct things people can do is avoid flushing or discarding unused medications down the sink or toilet!
    — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of discard
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.

Browse Nearby Words

slough of despond
slough (off)
sloughs
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Slough (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slough%20%28off%29. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
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