Phrasal verb
laugh off
Definition
phrasal verb. to dismiss something serious or unpleasant by laughing, showing it doesn't bother you.
phrasal verb. to treat a serious or unpleasant matter with ridicule or indifference; to trivialize an issue through laughter.
Examples
“He laughed off the criticism.”
“She laughed off the accident, but it left her with a broken arm.”
“Despite the dire warnings, the CEO laughed off the financial risks, leading to the company's downfall.”
Examples
simple
“He laughed off the criticism.”
contextual
“She laughed off the accident, but it left her with a broken arm.”
complex
“Despite the dire warnings, the CEO laughed off the financial risks, leading to the company's downfall.”
Usage
typically followed by a noun indicating the thing being dismissed.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'brush off' (more about ignoring) and 'ignore' (more direct); 'laugh off' emphasizes the use of humor to downplay severity.
Pitfall
He laughed at the criticism
He laughed off the criticism
the particle 'off' indicates dismissal, not the target of laughter.
Phrasal verb
Particles
off
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
laugh + off + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/laugh-off