What Does โShrug sth awayโ Mean?
โShrug sth awayโ means to dismiss or ignore something, often a problem, feeling, or comment, as if it is not important or worth worrying about.
Introduction
The phrase shrug sth away is a common English phrasal verb used to show how someone reacts casually to something unpleasant or unwanted. When you shrug something away, you act like it does not bother you or is not serious. This expression comes from the physical action of shrugging your shoulders, which signals indifference or a lack of concern. Understanding the shrug sth away meaning helps learners express feelings of dismissal or nonchalance in everyday conversations. It is useful in both spoken and written English, especially when describing how people handle criticism, problems, or emotions.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: shrug something away
- Type: transitive
- Level: B2
- Short meaning: to dismiss or ignore something as unimportant
Structure (Grammar Rules)
The phrasal verb shrug sth away is transitive, which means it needs a direct object (something). It is separable, so you can place the object between โshrugโ and โawayโ or after โaway.โ
- shrug something away
- shrug away something (less common)
Example patterns:
- She shrugged the criticism away.
- He shrugged away the worry.
How to Use Shrug sth away?
Use shrug sth away when you want to describe someone ignoring or not letting something affect them emotionally or mentally. It often relates to feelings, worries, or comments that could bother someone but donโt. This phrase can be used in formal and informal contexts.
Common subjects are people, and the objects are usually negative things like problems, fears, doubts, or insults.
Examples
Imagine you receive some criticism but donโt care about it. You can say:
- She shrugged the negative comments away and kept working.
- He shrugged away the fears about the exam and stayed confident.
- They shrugged away the problems and focused on the solution.
- Despite the bad news, she shrugged it away and stayed calm.
- He tried to shrug away the feeling of disappointment but couldnโt.
These examples show how to use shrug sth away in a sentence naturally.
Common Mistakes
People sometimes confuse this phrasal verb with just โshrugโ or use the wrong object placement.
Incorrect: She shrugged away the problem.
Correct: She shrugged the problem away.
Incorrect: He shrug away his doubts.
Correct: He shrugged his doubts away.
Remember, the correct past tense is shrugged, and the object usually comes right after โshrug.โ
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrasal verbs include:
- Brush sth off: also means to ignore or dismiss something, but it often sounds more casual.
- Wave sth off: means to dismiss something, often with a gesture, suggesting itโs unimportant.
- Put sth aside: means to temporarily ignore or delay dealing with something.
Shrug sth away specifically conveys a physical gesture of indifference and an emotional detachment from the issue.
Common Collocations
People often shrug away these common objects:
- Criticism: ignoring negative feedback
- Problems: acting as if difficulties donโt matter
- Fear: dismissing feelings of worry
- Doubts: ignoring uncertainty
- Comments: ignoring what others say
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of shrug sth away:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation showing how shrug sth away works:
Anna: Did the criticism from your boss upset you?
Tom: Not really. I just shrugged it away and focused on improving my work.
Anna: Thatโs a good attitude!
Practice
Try choosing the correct sentence:
- A) She __________ the bad news away quickly.
- B) She shrugged away the bad news quickly.
- C) She shrugged the bad news away quickly.
Answer: C) She shrugged the bad news away quickly.
FAQ
- What does โshrug sth awayโ mean? It means to dismiss or ignore something as unimportant.
- Is โshrug sth awayโ separable? Yes, you can separate the verb and particle with the object in between.
- Can I use โshrug away sthโ? It is less common but grammatically possible.
- What kind of things do people shrug away? Usually worries, criticism, problems, or negative feelings.
- Is โshrug sth awayโ formal or informal? It is suitable for both formal and informal contexts.
