Synonyms of duck

duck 1 of 2

verb

1

as in to avoid

to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery

don't try to duck your commitment to spending Thanksgiving with your family by claiming you have to work

Synonyms & Similar Words

• avoid
• evade
• escape
• dodge
• shake
• scape
• shun
• elude
• steer clear of
• deflect
• eschew
• shuffle (out of)
• prevent
• fight shy of
• weasel (out of)
• finesse
• eliminate
• get around
• shirk
• stay clear of
• keep clear of
• parry
• ward (off)
• miss
• fox
• exclude
• rule out
• circumvent
• avert
• obviate
• thwart
• preclude
• ban
• divert
• foil
• bar
• except
• debar
• bypass
• outwit
• skirt
• frustrate
• outsmart
• outfox
• overreach

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• seek
• accept
• pursue
• welcome
• embrace
• catch
• court
• contract
• incur

2

as in to weave

to move suddenly aside or to and fro

duck behind a pillar before they see us

Synonyms & Similar Words

• weave
• dodge
• zigzag
• turn
• sidestep
• escape
• jink
• slalom
• slide
• avoid
• evade
• slip
• parry
• skirt
• elude
• deflect
• shirk

3

as in to dip

to sink or push (something) briefly into or as if into a liquid

ducked the new camper in the lake as a joke

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dip
• dunk
• drown
• immerse
• soak
• submerge
• wet
• souse
• steep
• douse
• sop
• flood
• submerse
• moisten
• bathe
• thrust
• dive
• plunge
• drench

duck

2 of 2

noun

ˈdək 

as in person

a member of the human race

her coworkers regard her as something of an odd duck

Synonyms & Similar Words

• person
• man
• guy
• life
• bird
• creature
• fish
• egg
• individual
• human
• thing
• baby
• soul
• body
• being
• sort
• party
• specimen
• customer
• character
• face
• cookie
• scout
• human being
• devil
• personality
• head
• son of man
• wight
• stiff
• mortal
• personage
• fellow
• bod
• slob
• brother
• neighbor
• somebody
• self
• homo
• humanoid
• celebrity
• hominid
• fellowman

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• animal
• beast
• critter
• brute
• beastie

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of duck

Verb

The new business manager kept asking Darryl for his files; Darryl kept ducking him. — Josh Eells, Rolling Stone, 2 Nov. 2026

That's a real benefit for those who don't want to duck down or climb steps to bed every night. — New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2026

Noun

There’s not much legislative action yet in the lame-duck session, but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will be impeached by the House this week. — Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 9 Nov. 2026

Abbas extracted movement from his off stump line and found the outside edge of Pasindu Sooriyabandara, who was promoted to open the innings in his third test and out for a duck. — ABC News, 9 Nov. 2026

Phrases Containing duck

• duck soup
• odd duck
• sitting duck