laugh off
Brush aside lightly
To laugh off something is to dismiss it with humor or apparent unconcern, treating it as unworthy of serious attention: She laughed off the criticism.
The phrase often suggests deflecting what might otherwise sting—an insult, a failure, an awkward moment.
Sometimes the laughter is genuine; sometimes it masks genuine hurt.
- brush asideReject without serious thought
- deflectTurn from course
- belittleTo make something seem unimportant
- dismissSend away or reject
- pooh-poohDismiss as trivial
bypass · downplay · discount · ignore · wave away · deny · make light of · minimize · roll with the punches · grin and bear it · disregard · jest · play down · tune out · ridicule · joke · nonchalance · scoff
seriousness of response
laugh offtake seriously
Treat as significant
take to heart · take personally · heed · dwell on · give weight to
off, laugh, laughter, laughing, laughable, laughs, guffaw, laughed, laughingstock