To ignore someone or something, or to refuse to take them seriously.
When I tried to talk to my manager about the problem, she just brushed me off.
A: Did you ask your brother for help? B: Yeah, but he brushed me off and said he was too busy.
In my opinion, it's important for leaders to listen to feedback rather than brushing off people's concerns.
Common mistake
✗He brushed off her when she tried to talk.
✓He brushed her off when she tried to talk.
With a person/pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'brush her off'.
Tell it apart
He brushed her off.
wouldn't engage / rejected her
He blew her off.
stood her up — didn't show, AmE slang
Use 'brush off' when someone ignores a person or idea, often in a dismissive way.'Brush off' is more dismissive than simply 'ignore'. It suggests you don't think the person or idea is important.
To treat a problem, idea, or criticism as if it is not worth serious attention, often in order to minimize its significance.
The company tried to brush off the environmental concerns raised by the community.
A: Did you mention the safety issue to your manager? B: Yes, but she just brushed it off as if it didn't matter.
Some governments tend to brush off public criticism, which can undermine trust and accountability.
Common mistake
✗She brushed away the criticism.
✓She brushed off the criticism. / She brushed the criticism off.
For dismissing, it's 'brush OFF', not 'brush away'.
Tell it apart
She brushed off the criticism.
dismissed it lightly
She took the criticism on board.
accepted and considered it
'Brush off' in this sense is common in discussions or debates when someone wants to downplay or trivialize an issue. It can sound dismissive or even disrespectful if used about people's feelings or serious matters.Unlike the B2 sense ('ignore someone'), this sense focuses on minimizing the importance of an idea, problem, or criticism, not simply ignoring a person.