shrug
verb (used with object)
to raise and contract (the shoulders), expressing indifference, disdain, etc.
had shrugged
-
past perfectof shrug.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The market had shrugged off yesterday’s small weekly storage injection as inventories remain well above average.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
The road workers sheltering beneath a tanker had shrugged off the danger.
From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026
Kyiv residents who for months had shrugged off air raid sirens rushed into basements, protected rooms or hallways, and especially deep underground subway stations, seen as the safest places to wait out the attacks.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 10, 2022
Both contracts on Wednesday had shrugged off a large build in U.S. crude inventories to end the trading session roughly 4% higher.
From Reuters ● Apr. 14, 2022
He thought later how peculiar it was that here was probably the biggest thing in his life, and he had shrugged it off as nothing.
From "Bridge to Terabithia" by Katherine Paterson
