as in escape
the act or a means of getting or keeping away from something undesirable
the disgraceful ducking of your duties to your family
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in avoiding
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in dipping
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ducking
Tara Lynch, CBS News, 22 May 2026
Or tie scolds to the ducking stool again.
—Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2026
Automatic ducking doesn't add quacks to your soundtrack.
—PC Magazine, 15 Nov. 2025
In true TikTok style, however, the song gets a comedic twist in the goofy ducking-out scenario.
—Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
What's your take on this Jeep 'ducking' trend?
—Morgan Korn, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2025
Student leaders, administrators and co-principal Lorena Moreno formed a welcome tunnel near the gate, cheering as students entered — some ducking past the fanfare and others stopping for hugs and greetings.
—Hanna Kang, Oc Register, 6 Aug. 2025
Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 26 May 2026
The noise sent Wang ducking for cover.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 23 May 2026
Shawn Mendes stuck to his slate gray suit, sans shirt, and gamely posed for photos on the mansion’s steps before ducking down to the basement.
—Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 17 May 2026
As the family is photographed, several Aces members come in and pause for a brief hug and coo before ducking quickly out of frame.
—Jade Chang, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
At one point, Griffin appears to lunge at Manetta, who evades him by ducking behind a column on the platform.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 1 May 2026
Members of the audience are seen ducking under tables.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 28 Apr. 2026
Trump being hurried off the stage unharmed and guests ducking for cover underneath their tables.
—Alanna Durkin Richer, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
Videos of the event appeared to show attendees ducking under dining tables as law enforcement came on the main stage.
—Shelly Banjo, semafor.com, 26 Apr. 2026
Noun
Another man, not involved in the shooting, was seen on video ducking behind his vehicle for cover.
—Tara Lynch, CBS News, 22 May 2026
Or tie scolds to the ducking stool again.
—Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2026
Automatic ducking doesn't add quacks to your soundtrack.
—PC Magazine, 15 Nov. 2025
In true TikTok style, however, the song gets a comedic twist in the goofy ducking-out scenario.
—Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
What's your take on this Jeep 'ducking' trend?
—Morgan Korn, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2025
Student leaders, administrators and co-principal Lorena Moreno formed a welcome tunnel near the gate, cheering as students entered — some ducking past the fanfare and others stopping for hugs and greetings.
—Hanna Kang, Oc Register, 6 Aug. 2025
Verb
Surveillance video obtained by Fox 13 Seattle showed men ducking behind vehicles and exchanging gunfire in the street as bullets ripped through the neighborhood.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 26 May 2026
The noise sent Wang ducking for cover.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 23 May 2026
Shawn Mendes stuck to his slate gray suit, sans shirt, and gamely posed for photos on the mansion’s steps before ducking down to the basement.
—Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 17 May 2026
As the family is photographed, several Aces members come in and pause for a brief hug and coo before ducking quickly out of frame.
—Jade Chang, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
At one point, Griffin appears to lunge at Manetta, who evades him by ducking behind a column on the platform.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 1 May 2026
Members of the audience are seen ducking under tables.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 28 Apr. 2026
Trump being hurried off the stage unharmed and guests ducking for cover underneath their tables.
—Alanna Durkin Richer, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
Videos of the event appeared to show attendees ducking under dining tables as law enforcement came on the main stage.
—Shelly Banjo, semafor.com, 26 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ducking
Noun
-
The positive impacts of your escape from daily realities are doubled.—
Alessandra Signorelli,
Vogue,
29 May 2026
-
That escape also reveals the profound depths of his narcissism.—
Tasha Robinson,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
That’s the recipe of avoiding the darkness in him.—
Stephen Schaefer,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
-
Kennedy then pins the snake’s head and grabs it by the mouth, avoiding any potential venomous bites.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Set the scene After weaving through downtown Nassau, passing the towering cruise ships in port, and waiting in traffic on the bridge to Paradise Island, arriving at the Ocean Club is a breath of fresh air (and a sigh of relief).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 May 2026
-
The show’s storylines have largely revolved around drunken fights, messy breakups, hookups and cheating allegations while occasionally weaving in more serious conversations about race, mental health and fractured childhoods.—
Pilar Melendez,
NBC news,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Highs are excepted to climb to 79 degrees on Wednesday, 84 on Thursday, 88 on Friday and Saturday and 89 on Sunday, before dipping to 88 on Monday, according to the forecast.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
2 June 2026
-
The market response follows quickly, with stock prices dipping and analysts highlighting rising costs.—
Harvard Business Review,
Harvard Business Review,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
When McKenzie asks him how much he’s contributed to the coffers of politicians, his dodging of the question is pure dissembling theater.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Furthermore, the Ukrainian army is short-handed, facing some 200,000 troop desertions and draft-dodging by around 2 million people, Fedorov, the defense minister, said in January.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The company and its advocates would rather debate the merits of one particular study instead of [ShotSpotter parent company] SoundThinking's track record of evading evidence based accountability in Chicago.—
Asal Rezaei,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
-
As of May 2024, Escalera faces multiple charges, including murder, third-degree burglary, second-degree burglary and evading police, according to The Courier-Journal.—
Corin Cesaric,
PEOPLE,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
The victim described, matter-of-factly, how her trafficker had cut up jalapeños and tossed them into a toilet before banging her head against the inside of the bowl and dunking it into the water.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
Known for his athleticism, Christian also has become a force dunking off lobs.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Brazilian prosecutors on Thursday launched a mega-operation to dismantle fraud, money laundering and tax evasion, in the latest phase of an investigation targeting criminal gangs.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 May 2026
-
In 1960, in what would be the start of a seminal friendship, Jones was approached by King to be on his legal team in a tax evasion case brought by the state of Alabama.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ducking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ducking. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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