To treat something as unimportant and not let it affect you; to dismiss criticism, a problem, or an injury without concern.
To not let something bother you, or to treat it as not important.
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To dismiss or treat something as unimportant, especially criticism or setbacks.
"She shrugged off the negative reviews and focused on enjoying the creative process."
He shrugged off questions about his future and said he was focused on the present.
— The New York Times (2016)
To recover quickly from an injury or illness and continue as normal.
"The striker shrugged off a hamstring problem to start in Saturday's final."
To remove a piece of clothing by letting it slide off the shoulders.
"He shrugged off his jacket and draped it over the back of the chair."
To shrug (raise shoulders) and move something off — the physical gesture of indifference.
To not let something bother you, or to treat it as not important.
Very common in journalism and sports reporting ('the team shrugged off the defeat'). The gesture of shrugging one's shoulders (to show indifference) underlies the idiom. Can also be used for physically removing a garment, though this sense is less common.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Listen to native speakers using "shrug off" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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