laughing off

verb

present participle of laugh off
as in shrugging off

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for laughing off
  1. shrugging off
  2. playing down
  3. minimizing
  4. belittling
  5. undervaluing
Verb
  • Part of it is that more women are speaking up about hair loss, shrugging off the stigma and reaching out for help.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Trump, now shrugging off concerns about the threat posed to those who remained aboard the plane he was supposed to be on.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of shrugging off
Verb
  • Mudryk, a right-footed forward best known for playing down the left, is among Leeds’ preferred options and talks are ongoing with Chelsea, despite an initial knock-back.
    — Beren Cross, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • In response to the concerns, companies including Amazon and Microsoft have been playing down the issue, saying the data center water use can be done responsibly, or sourced from wastewater.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of playing down
Verb
  • By using passive mechanical elements, lightweight materials, and low-power tactile sensing, the hand can support the drone while minimizing the energy required for interaction.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Various businesses are actively opting for edge computing to process data closer to IoT endpoints, improving real-time decision-making and minimizing latency.
    — Alper Yegin, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of minimizing
Verb
  • Even the teammate who bestowed a belittling nickname upon him can’t wrap his head around Messick’s first year in the majors.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • His work has often been criticized for belittling women and invading the privacy of others.
    — Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of belittling
Verb
  • That suggests the foreign exchange market is significantly undervaluing the yen.
    — Bloomberg, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Stop undervaluing yourself, period.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
Definition of undervaluing
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.

Browse Nearby Words

laughingly
laughing off
laughingstock
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Laughing off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laughing%20off. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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