To shrug off a mistake or setback means to put it behind you and not let it affect the rest of your performance.
What does it mean?
Football involves plenty of small errors – a missed chance, a fluffed tackle – and the best players are able to move past these quickly rather than let them damage their confidence. A closely related phrase is ‘to bounce back,’ meaning to recover from a setback and perform well afterwards.
Examples
- He shrugged off the missed penalty and went on to score twice.
- Rather than let the mistake affect her, she bounced back immediately.
- The team shrugged off their slow start to record a comfortable win.
Similar Words/Phrases
- To bounce back
- To put behind you
- To recover from a setback
Learn More
Related Glossary Terms
Categories: 2026 World Cup Phrases
« Back to Glossary Index 
