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
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of duck
Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 20 July 2025
Those within the activist left especially are pointing to a shift, especially around issues that Harris ducked during the 2024 campaign such as the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 31 July 2025
AFAR Media, 31 July 2025
Upstairs at the Trattoria, guests can sample handmade pastas, seasonal vegetables, seafood and meats, from duck to dry-aged rib eye, in open-kitchen seating or the outdoor terrace.
—Taryn White, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for duck
Verb
In a clip filmed during the incident, Byron and Cabot’s immediate reaction was to duck and turn away from the camera and leave the frame, which led to the speculation and suspicions over their non-professional-appearing relationship.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 20 July 2025
Those within the activist left especially are pointing to a shift, especially around issues that Harris ducked during the 2024 campaign such as the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 31 July 2025
Noun
In Antigua, venture to the secluded shores of Great Bird Island for an eco-immersion where whale sightings, lush canopy hikes along the Hilltop Trail, and encounters with rare birdlife—including brown pelicans, laughing gulls, and West Indian whistling ducks—await.
—AFAR Media, 31 July 2025
Upstairs at the Trattoria, guests can sample handmade pastas, seasonal vegetables, seafood and meats, from duck to dry-aged rib eye, in open-kitchen seating or the outdoor terrace.
—Taryn White, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for duck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duck
Verb
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That ambiguity reflects a desire to maintain strategic flexibility and avoid premature entanglement in a potential war.—
Frank Lavin,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
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Abbott put redistricting on the agenda at the urging of President Donald Trump, who wants to shore up Republicans’ narrow House majority and avoid a repeat of his first presidency, when the 2018 midterms restored Democrats to a House majority that blocked his agenda and twice impeached him.—
Alexandra Kukulka,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Now, with just a few months’ notice, staff are dismantling a 30-year program carefully woven into the city’s social safety net.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Aug. 2025
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The last time might have been in a regional nightclub in the mid aughts, or weaving through a busy high street.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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June 23-16: Trump’s approval rating dipped one point, to 41%, in a Reuters/Ipsos survey of 1,139 U.S. adults taken June 21-23 from its June 11-16 survey, with 57% disapproving (the latest poll has a 3-point margin of error).—
Sara Dorn,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Adults and kids alike dipped in the Atlantic and a tiki hut boat served shoreside lobster rolls and hot dogs.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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But when someone raises concerns about questionable billing practices, the issue is quietly set aside and the person is moved to another role.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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That’s the person who can integrate diverse expertise, promote equitable contributions, and cultivate trust.—
Jamil Zaki,
Harvard Business Review,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Scammers distribute invitations to food truck owners through Gmail accounts, often using multiple email addresses to evade scam blocking filters.—
Tamia Fowlkes,
jsonline.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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The other, finished in Sebring Orange, was able to evade authorities briefly but was eventually located three hours away in Martin County, Indiana.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Vance has dodged questions about a possible 2028 presidential bid and deferred to Trump on his political future.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
5 Aug. 2025
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Those with the best lawyers dodge serious charges after long trials.—
Steve Horton,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Fresh mint completes the pumpkin look; dunk it into the liquid to bring out its herbaceous flavor.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Aug. 2025
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McCamey is accused of following the girls around the park and dunking them in the pool, police told the station.—
Tanasia Kenney,
Miami Herald,
24 July 2025
Noun
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How a 'Mad Dogs' concert film led to the Tedeschi Trucks Band Q: You guys definitely captured a bit of the magic.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
13 Aug. 2025
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With a pair of catwalks jutting from the oval stage, the guys roam into the crowd, all while hitting their dance moves, and blending their upbeat pop anthems with the sappier ballads that made them into a heartthrob collective.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Duck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duck. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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