Shrug

/ʃrʌg/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A gesture made by raising and lowering the shoulders.

His shrug indicated that he didn't care about the outcome.

verb

To raise and lower the shoulders to express doubt, indifference, or lack of knowledge.

When asked if he knew where the missing keys were, he just shrugged.

To disregard or minimize the importance of something.

She shrugged off the criticism, confident in her abilities.

Middle English shroggen, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse skrugga.

shrug it off

To dismiss something as unimportant.

give a shrug

To respond with indifference or uncertainty.

gesture

A movement of the body or limbs that expresses an idea or feeling.

indifference

Lack of interest, concern, or sympathy.

IDK

When I asked where we should go for dinner, he just shrugged and said, 'IDK.'

Whatever

She was frustrated with the situation but ultimately just shrugged, saying 'Whatever.'