brush off

verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"brush-off" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“brush off” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To disregard (something), to dismiss or ignore (someone), as unimportant.

Key facts for brush off
PropertyValue
Headwordbrush off
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “brush off” sits in English frequency

brush off falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for brush off is 9 letters long, classified as a verb. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for brush off, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct English form is brush off, spelled B-R-U-S-H- -O-F-F.

Definition

  1. 1
    To disregard (something), to dismiss or ignore (someone), as unimportant.
  2. 2
    To depart with a sweeping motion; to rush away.
  3. 3
    Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see brush, off. To remove something with a brush.

This word in other languages

ignorar(Español)ignorer(Français)abbügeln(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "brush off"?
"brush off" is spelled B-R-U-S-H- -O-F-F.
What does "brush off" mean?
As a verb, "brush off" means: To disregard (something), to dismiss or ignore (someone), as unimportant.
What language does "brush off" come from?
"brush off" is a English word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “brush off”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is B-R-U-S-H- -O-F-F - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list