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Glite Dictionary
🙈 To skip 💥 To detach forcefully
to blow off

to blow off

103 7.0
To not attend or take part in something you should, often to do something else instead
  • phrasal verb
  • /bloʊ ɔf/
  • Informal
translation icon : no presentarse a
  • - Are you blowing me off?
  • blow off a guy
  • blow off a job
  • blow off a meeting

What what a Dick he was that he blew me off.

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Examples

  • The way people feel about cops... sometimes I just gotta blow off a little steam, you know?

    Acts of Vengeance (2017)

  • When they shook their heads no, the source says she "blew them off" and left.

    Blog text (15)

  • I never asked you to blow off your job.

    RV (2006)

  • A few months ago, he was interested in me, so we went on a few dates, but I totally blew him off.

    I Can't Breathe (God Forgive Them) (2022)

  • We have to be seen and heard and blow off steam and consult on difficult situations.

  • But I never thought you'd blow me off for money.

    The Samaritan (2012)

  • Or you could blow off that jerk you're going out with tonight... ...and come out with me.

    There's Something About Mary (1998)

  • They let narcissistic people reduce their tension, blow off steam, as it were.

  • At the same time, Romney made a conscious decision to blow off Hispanic voters.

    Blog text (24)

  • We decided to blow off the party and stay home instead.

Synonyms

to flake
vsto blow off
  • Slang
23 8.4

To cancel or not attend a planned meeting at short notice

chooses to avoid attending to do something else rather than only cancel late
to skip out
vsto blow off
  • Informal
22 7.2

To leave without telling anyone to avoid a duty or responsibility

avoids attending or ignores obligations by choice rather than only fleeing suddenly
to brush off
vsto blow off
  • Informal
22 3.9

To ignore what someone says or feels as unimportant

avoids attending an obligation rather than just dismissing a person
to give a miss
vsto blow off
  • UK
7.3

Decide not to go to an event or activity

chooses to avoid often from lack of interest or to do something else

Antonyms

to attend
∞ 1.7

To be present at a meeting or event

How Committed

boycott
80 4.3
to attend
∞ 1.7
to skip
397 1.1
to blow off
  • Informal
103 7.0

Surface Forms

blow off infinitive
blowing off present participle
blows off third person singular
blew off past
blown off past participle

Morphology

blow + off

The sense 'to deliberately ignore or avoid' is not directly derivable from the literal meanings of 'blow' (move air/strike) + 'off' (away), so a learner who only knows the constituents would not reliably infer 'ignore'. However, because English phrasal verbs with 'off' often convey removal or dismissal, learners might plausibly guess a dismissive sense; this partial predictability makes the item only semi-transparent.

Etymology

Blow off may come from the idea of pushing something away with a quick breath or wave, as if you blow it off because it is not important. So it means 'to ignore' or 'to skip' something you were expected to do.