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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in person
a member of the human race
her coworkers regard her as something of an odd duck
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of duck
ABC News, 24 May 2026
The noise sent Wang ducking for cover.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 23 May 2026
Andrew Cockburn, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026
The cache also contained blue faience vessels, miniature ritual jars, amulets shaped like a duck and the Atef Crown, decorative stones, and several pairs of earrings believed to be made of gold.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for duck
Verb
So the team and I immediately dropped to the ground, ducked and covered.
—ABC News, 24 May 2026
The noise sent Wang ducking for cover.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 23 May 2026
Noun
Initially blocked by recalcitrant Democratic members of the House, the legislation was reintroduced during a lame-duck session following the 2024 election.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026
The cache also contained blue faience vessels, miniature ritual jars, amulets shaped like a duck and the Atef Crown, decorative stones, and several pairs of earrings believed to be made of gold.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for duck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duck
Verb
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This victory was as undeniable as the bond between the seniors on this team who did everything but draw up a pact to avoid a third-straight disappointment on the season’s final day.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
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Safe food handling, good hygiene and avoiding contact with cat stool can significantly reduce your risk.—
Dr. Megan Yanny,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
Verb
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That vision came to life during the festival that followed the walk; attendees danced to live music and children weaved through the crowd waving pride flags.—
Hannah Elsmore,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2026
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Lawmakers can also find ways to weave their policies into other bills that may not bear their names.—
Elliott Wenzler,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
Verb
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For North American observers on the evening of May 30, the Blue Moon rises in the east as the sun dips below the horizon, with Antares glowing roughly 3 degrees to the lower left of Earth's satellite — less than the width of your three middle fingers held at arm's length against the night sky.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
29 May 2026
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Once the ride began, Ferrell pulled the nuggets out of his pants and even called for his camera man to give him some sauce to dip the nuggets into.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
Noun
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State health departments will continue to conduct daily symptom monitoring, as well as 24/7 continuous oversight of each person, and provide guidance through the remainder of the 42-day monitoring period, which will end June 21.—
Brenda Goodman,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
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It is made for an on-the-go business person or visitor who wants to maximize their time in the Bay Area.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Capable of traveling at speeds exceeding Mach 5 while maneuvering in flight, these weapons are designed to compress enemy reaction times and evade many traditional missile defense systems.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
31 May 2026
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Aurora police said Belt-Stubblefield crashed into two vehicles while trying to evade the stop.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
30 May 2026
Verb
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An officer had to dodge the vehicle to avoid being struck, according to the district attorney’s statement.—
Seamus Bozeman
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
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Go in May to dodge midges and summer crowds.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Pitchfork Steak Fondue Cowboys cook steaks on a pitchfork dunked in hot oil at this dinner event before the Medora Musical.—
Julia Sayers Gokhale,
Midwest Living,
1 June 2026
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Like his grandson Victor, Michel was a center and known for dunking, per Le Parisien.—
Nasha Smith,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
Noun
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The scene was genuinely awful to watch, but the movie—a story of plague, passion, period costumes, and an unwashed man in a tunic skipping town to cure writer’s block—ended up thrilling us; the portrayal of two creative minds working together (and apart) was, oddly, familiar.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
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Images from a Ring security camera show a man, whom the restraining order request identifies as Applegate, at Carpenter’s front door and being confronted by a security guard with a flashlight.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Duck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duck. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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