laugh off
phr. v.. B1 Intermediate Oxford
phr. v.. to dismiss something serious or unpleasant by laughing, showing it doesn't bother you.
phr. v.. to treat a serious or unpleasant matter with ridicule or indifference; to trivialize an issue through laughter.
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.
- Particles
- off
- Separability
- inseparable
- Pattern
- laugh + off + object
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 criticismHe laughed off the criticismthe particle 'off' indicates dismissal, not the target of laughter.