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
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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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
Avery Schmitz,
CNN Money,
24 June 2026
Guests can walk along the nearby Rim Village Promenade before ducking into its lobby to enjoy the cozy fireplace, Mission furniture, and tree trunk columns.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 June 2026
After his tap-in on 18 fell, Clark was greeted by a stream of friends and family ducking under the ropes onto the 18th green.
—
Brendan Quinn,
New York Times,
21 June 2026
Otherwise, Makar will be wincing through pain trying to explain the unfathomable, Blackwood will be dropping F-bombs in disbelief and MacKinnon will be ducking reporters despite being the team’s best player.
—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
11 June 2026
He was spotted ducking down in a field as traffic passed by and fled before he was found in a small cave, police have said.
—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
1 June 2026
Baker was hiding in the grassy area of a field and was seen ducking down as passing traffic approached, Hawaii Police Chief Reed Mahuna said in a press conference shown on Hawaii News Now and reviewed by PEOPLE.
—
Kc Baker,
PEOPLE,
1 June 2026
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
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
Some of them wear face paint, camouflage uniforms, and ghillie suits — ducking in and out of foxholes cut into the ground.
—
Avery Schmitz,
CNN Money,
24 June 2026
Guests can walk along the nearby Rim Village Promenade before ducking into its lobby to enjoy the cozy fireplace, Mission furniture, and tree trunk columns.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 June 2026
After his tap-in on 18 fell, Clark was greeted by a stream of friends and family ducking under the ropes onto the 18th green.
—
Brendan Quinn,
New York Times,
21 June 2026
Otherwise, Makar will be wincing through pain trying to explain the unfathomable, Blackwood will be dropping F-bombs in disbelief and MacKinnon will be ducking reporters despite being the team’s best player.
—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
11 June 2026
He was spotted ducking down in a field as traffic passed by and fled before he was found in a small cave, police have said.
—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
1 June 2026
Baker was hiding in the grassy area of a field and was seen ducking down as passing traffic approached, Hawaii Police Chief Reed Mahuna said in a press conference shown on Hawaii News Now and reviewed by PEOPLE.
—
Kc Baker,
PEOPLE,
1 June 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ducking
Noun
-
The guests’ request for an escape-room experience, while annoying, is much more understandable.
-
This small city on Florida’s central Gulf Coast offers an escape everyone in the family will enjoy, from toddlers all the way up to the grandparents.
Verb
-
While technical expertise is crucial, successfully landing remote AI jobs also requires strategic searching, understanding employer terminology, and avoiding scams.
-
Petrakakos said arrangements around possible tolls or coordination with Iran remain largely ad hoc, with most shipping companies avoiding direct engagement because of sanctions risk.
Verb
-
Alongside Chase and her family stands film director Guy Ritchie; not as a badge‑on celebrity, but as a creative collaborator who has invested both capital and time in the project, designing the Wild Kitchen feasting tables and quietly weaving the whisky into his storytelling world.
-
But over the nearly one-and-a-half years since the 2025 mega-fires, native and invasive grasses, bushes and trees have begun to regrow, weaving flammable greenery across the landscape.
Verb
-
Temperatures will have a tough time dipping below 80°, especially in Baltimore City.
-
The county has faced relatively small budget shortfalls in the last couple of years and is now dipping into its reserves to the tune of $95 million.
Noun
-
Ditching grass and dodging HOAs, some homeowners are opting for native lawns.
-
When McKenzie asks him how much he’s contributed to the coffers of politicians, his dodging of the question is pure dissembling theater.
Verb
-
According to the lawsuit, the defendants profited from unlawful short-term rentals while evading requirements in city law designed to protect short-term renters, protect the quality of life for neighborhood residents and maintain a supply of affordable housing.
-
Robinzine was charged with evading arrest, unlawful possession of a firearm and tempering with physical evidence.
Verb
-
In Italy's capital, which remains under a red heat alert, tourists tried to cool off seeking shade near buildings and dunking their heads under public fountains.
-
Tourists and locals are reportedly taking desperate — and sometimes dangerous — measures to cool off by plunging into canals and dunking in fountains, according to the Associated Press (AP).
Noun
-
The athlete does not let himself be dribbled by the slightest sensitive subject, practicing an art of evasion beneath an XXL smile, under warm spotlights that illuminate his blue linen suit.
-
The sheriff’s office reports hundreds of arrests, dozens of fugitives apprehended and weapons recovered, along with declines in fare evasion and crime where deputies have been deployed.
Cite this Entry
“Ducking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ducking. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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