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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in person
a member of the human race
her coworkers regard her as something of an odd duck
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of duck
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 22 Jan. 2026
Witnesses said as soon as shots rang out, the group began running and bystanders on the block began taking cover, some ducking behind school buses.
—Allen Devlin, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
Abby Dodge, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
Kelly started with a pitch that made Correa duck.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for duck
Verb
Once upon a time, Paul Thomas Anderson ducked into a movie theater in the Netherlands.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 22 Jan. 2026
Witnesses said as soon as shots rang out, the group began running and bystanders on the block began taking cover, some ducking behind school buses.
—Allen Devlin, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
Noun
Fort Lauderdale police are searching for a young boy seen on video killing a duck in a resident's yard this week, an incident investigators are treating as an animal cruelty case.
—Abby Dodge, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
Kelly started with a pitch that made Correa duck.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for duck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duck
Verb
-
Start with the bottom branches to avoid adding more weight to lower limbs.—
Alexandra Jones,
The Spruce,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Reconciliation, by contrast, allowed Republicans to pass fiscal and revenue-related farm provisions with a simple majority, bypassing the filibuster and avoiding a stalemate that could have stretched on for years.—
Stephen Martin,
Oklahoma Watch,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Before every artful-minded modern horror film became about grief and trauma, The Babadook explored these themes with authenticity, deftly weaving in Amelia's grief over the loss of her husband and her inability to control her son with traditional horror tropes.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Across it, Thomas embraces maximalism, weaving together R&B, funk, and psychedelic rock to showcase his wide array of influences (everyone from D’Angelo to Jimi Hendrix) and talents as a multi-instrumentalist.—
Hershal Pandya,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Unusually cold temperatures in Central Florida are projected to dip below freezing at some point Sunday.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Kyiv and its surrounding region has been in the grip of a bitter cold snap since early this month, with overnight temperatures dipping to as low as minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 20 degrees Celsius).—
Yuliya Talmazan,
NBC news,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The bill would also require businesses that sell delivery goods, such as grocery delivery providers or DoorDash, to list a comparison of the delivery price versus the regular price if the goods were to be bought in-person at the store.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
-
If those extra months incur large public healthcare costs, or if that person’s continued life means one’s great grandchildren receive a substantially smaller bequest, those factors typically aren’t reflected in the patient’s personal willingness to pay.—
James Broughel,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Davis faces three counts of first-degree assault and a single count each of second-degree manslaughter, evading responsibility involving a death, reckless driving and failure to drive in the proper lane.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Ashton Hill, 17, was charged with discharge of a firearm in certain municipalities, evading arrest, riot participation, possession of marijuana under two ounces in a drug-free zone and possession of CS PG2 under one gram.—
Sergio Candido,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Hyde Park Avenue was like the Wild Wild West, with motorists dodging huge snow banks, pedestrians, school children and MBTA bus riders who were forced off the sidewalks.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
29 Jan. 2026
-
He's spent the last three seasons flirting and dodging anything serious, but season 4 finally gives him his own love story.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
If extremely dirty, they can be very briefly dunked into cold water and wiped dry.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
26 Jan. 2026
-
McCoy dunked hard at the rim off the dribble, from a lob and even got a couple put-backs off his own misses.—
Justin Vigil Zuniga,
Daily News,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Martinez and another man were charged in October with assault with a deadly weapon, accused of following the agents' vehicles and initiating the collision with Exum's SUV that led to the shooting on Chicago's south side.—
James Hill,
ABC News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Pretti was shot while agents were evidently seeking to detain a man, Jose Huerta-Chuma, whom Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino said had an extensive criminal record including domestic assault.—
Jared Kaufman,
Twin Cities,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Duck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duck. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
