laugh off
phrasal verb.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.
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.
- take seriously
- worry about
- concern oneself with
- Particles
- off
- Separability
- inseparable
- Pattern
- laugh + off + object
typically followed by a noun indicating the thing being dismissed.
contrast with 'brush off' (more about ignoring) and 'ignore' (more direct); 'laugh off' emphasizes the use of humor to downplay severity.
He laughed at the criticismHe laughed off the criticismthe particle 'off' indicates dismissal, not the target of laughter.
Last updated April 24, 2026