shrug (redirected from shrugs off)

shrug something off (as something) and pass something off (as something)

to ignore something unpleasant or offensive as if it meant something else. She shrugged off the criticism as harmless. I passed off the remark as misinformed. Bill scolded me, but I just passed it off.

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shrug something off also shrug off something

to act as if something is unimportant or not a problem Although constantly troubled by a lack of money, he was able to shrug it off with a joke. The runner has been trying hard to shrug off a back injury that doesn't seem to go away.

Related vocabulary: shrug your shoulders

shrug your shoulders

to not care or feel unable to do anything The reason most people aren't excited about the election is that both candidates leave them shrugging their shoulders.

Related vocabulary: shrug something off

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of shrug your shoulders (to move your shoulders up as you move your head down to show you do not care or are discouraged)

See also: shoulder