laugh off

verb

Definition of laugh offnext
as in to minimize

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of laugh off Continue reading … HOT AIR – AOC tries to laugh off 'crazy' woke era as thing of the past, but conservatives aren't amused. — FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026 Though Blakely was able to laugh off the mistake, the damage would be significant. — Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026 Prince William laughed off the question from Heart Breakfast hosts Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 26 May 2026 The casual references to him as a billionaire, however, is one gibe that Lamont laughs off. — Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 13 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for laugh off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laugh off
  1. minimize
  2. play down
  3. shrug off
  4. discount
  5. undervalue
  6. belittle
  7. underrate
Verb
  • Department leaders are evaluating how to best deploy resources for different emergencies and minimize disruptions.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Research actually shows that having depression can more than double your risk for dementia, so don’t minimize it, Tucker says.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of minimize
Verb
  • The president of the European Central Bank played down speculation about intervention in France’s ballooning budget crisis on Wednesday.
    — John Liu, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Russia's government played down concerns Monday sparked by media reports that a female scientist in Siberia might have died of exposure to the plague after a lab accident.
    — Ramy Inocencio, CBS News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of play down
Verb
  • Wall Street is coming off a winning week for the major averages, as a rally in tech stocks helped investors shrug off higher oil prices and yields.
    — Sean Conlon,Hugh Leask,Lee Ying Shan,Sarah Min, CNBC, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Moraitis shrugged off the fact that her opponent won Herbst’s endorsement.
    — Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of shrug off
Verb
  • Both carriers are discounting more aggressively while protecting margins, though the discounts skew toward large customers and widen the gap between headline rates and what smaller shippers pay.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Minority interests in illiquid companies are typically discounted by 20% to 35%, according to Jordana Schreiber, partner at Day Pitney.
    — Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of discount
Verb
  • Rubio promised on his visit to the region that the US was offering long-term deals in a part of the world Washington has historically undervalued.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Nonprofit work should be led by capable professionals whose commitment to mission should never justify undervaluing their contributions.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of undervalue
Verb
  • The answer is not to belittle the fear, but to make visible commitments people can judge.
    — Bob Pearson, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Adelaide’s grandmother belittles the pianoforte the girl pines for, calling it an expensive toy.
    — Heller McAlpin, Christian Science Monitor, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of belittle
Verb
  • The thing people always underrate about the 2000s is how many of us were not going to the movies to feel good.
    — Darren Franich, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Amazon’s jewelry selection is hugely underrated, in my humble opinion, and this $10 layered necklace is a pretty good example of why.
    — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of underrate

Browse Nearby Words

laughingstocks
laugh off
laughs
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Cite this Entry

“Laugh off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laugh%20off. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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