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Meaning & use

brushed off

phrase·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˌbrʌʃt ˈɒf/
US/ˌbrʌʃt ˈɔːf/

Meanings

  1. phrasefixed phraseinformal

    Treated as unimportant and quickly dismissed, especially when someone's worries, ideas, or feelings were ignored.

    Grammar: Used after be or as a passive phrase: her complaint was brushed off; he felt brushed off by the manager.

    Patterns

    • be brushed off by someone
    • get brushed off
    • feel brushed off

    Her request for extra time was brushed off by the manager.

    I told him I was worried, but he just brushed me off and changed the subject.

    Several safety complaints were brushed off as unimportant.

  2. phrasefixed phrase

    Quickly removed from something, such as dust or dirt, with a brush or with the hand.

    Grammar: Used after be or have been, and usually followed by from or off a surface: the crumbs were brushed off the table.

    Patterns

    • be brushed off something
    • be brushed off from something

    The crumbs were brushed off the table before the guests arrived.

    Mud had been brushed off his coat before he came inside.

Common combinations

brush off criticism
He tends to brush off criticism instead of thinking about it.
brush off a question
The minister brushed off the question and moved to the next topic.
brush off an idea
The team brushed off her idea, but it later turned out to be the best one.
be brushed off as
The injury was brushed off as nothing serious.
feel brushed off
After the meeting she felt brushed off by her own colleagues.

Synonyms and how they differ

dismiss
More formal and often stronger; it can mean officially deciding that something does not deserve attention.
ignore
Focuses on not paying attention at all, while brushed off suggests the person did notice but chose not to take it seriously.
snub
Usually describes a rude, personal coldness toward someone, whereas brushed off can also apply to ideas or complaints.

Opposites

took seriouslylistened to

Word family

brush off phrasal verb
The base form, meaning to dismiss someone or something quickly.
brush-off noun
An informal noun for a rude or clear refusal to pay attention to someone.
brush verb
To clean or smooth a surface with a brush, or to touch something lightly.

Commonly confused: brushed off or brushed up? brushed off or brushed aside?

brushed off vs brushed up

Brushed up means improved or refreshed a skill, as in "I brushed up my Spanish." Brushed off means dismissed or ignored.

brushed off vs brushed aside

Very close in meaning, but brushed aside often suggests physically pushing something away or treating an objection as an obstacle to remove.

Practice

The company's lawyers ______ the workers' complaints as unimportant.

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