English Reference

Phrasal verb

shake off

Definition

phrasal verb. to get rid of something bad or annoying, like a cold or a bad mood. You use this when you want to stop something from affecting you.

phrasal verb. to rid oneself of an undesirable state, illness, or pursuer. Transitive and optionally separable; the object is typically a negative condition or a person following the subject.

Examples

“I need to shake off this bad mood before the party starts.”

“The runner tried to shake off his opponent in the final lap, but the other athlete stayed right behind him.”

“The company struggled to shake off its reputation for poor customer service, even after hiring a new management team and overhauling its internal policies.”

Examples

simple

“I need to shake off this bad mood before the party starts.”

contextual

“The runner tried to shake off his opponent in the final lap, but the other athlete stayed right behind him.”

complex

“The company struggled to shake off its reputation for poor customer service, even after hiring a new management team and overhauling its internal policies.”

Usage

This phrase is often used with illnesses, negative feelings, or people following you.

Teaching tip

Use the Taylor Swift song 'Shake It Off' as a cultural anchor to demonstrate the meaning of ignoring criticism or bad vibes.

Pitfall

I shook off from my headache.

I shook off my headache.

The verb is transitive and takes the object directly without the preposition 'from'.

Phrasal verb

Particles

off

Separability

optional

Pattern

shake + off + object

Synonyms

loseget rid ofdiscardrecover from

Antonyms

keepcatchsuccumb to

Grammar

Phrasal verbs (introduction)

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Updated

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