dust off

VERB

drop

Synonyms

STRONGEST

cancel end give up leave lose stop

STRONG

abort adios cease desert discontinue dismiss disown ditch divorce forfeit forsake interrupt jilt kick quit reject relinquish remit renounce repudiate resign sacrifice scratch scrub separate shake terminate

WEAK

be alienated from break with call off cast off eighty-six forget about have done with part from part with throw over wash out waste one wipe out write off

Antonyms

STRONGEST

continue keep maintain start

STRONG

hold

WEAK

pursue take up

VERB

murder

Synonyms

STRONGEST

assassinate behead butcher decapitate destroy execute exterminate lynch massacre shoot slaughter slay strangle

STRONG

abolish asphyxiate chill cool defeat dispatch drub electrocute eliminate eradicate extinguish finish garotte guillotine hang hit knife liquidate mangle mar misuse off ruin smother snuff spoil thrash waste

WEAK

blot out bump off do in knock off put away rub out take a life take for a ride take out

Antonyms

STRONGEST

bear create give birth

STRONG

heal help preserve save

WEAK

guard protect

VERB

put away

Synonyms

STRONGEST

knock off put down

WEAK

assassinate bury cool cut off destroy dispatch do away with do in execute finish inter liquidate murder plant put out of its misery put to sleep slay tomb

Antonyms

WEAK

abstain free give birth liberate refrain

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Others used the shutdown to dust off esoteric research projects.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 12, 2025

Never fear, Strictly Come Dancing is back with its 23rd series, with 15 new contestants ready to dust off their dancing shoes.

From BBC • Sep. 15, 2025

You can also use a pastry brush or a clean, unused paintbrush to dust off the surfaces.

From Salon • Mar. 22, 2025

“There are pandemic playbooks that we need to dust off and begin to implement.”

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 3, 2024

I nod, flustered, but before I can figure out how to respond, Mama puts the birthday card down again, rising to her feet and brushing the dust off her skirt.

From "Girl in the Blue Coat" by Monica Hesse

dust off

Example Sentences

Related Words