1
as in to avoid
to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery
you always try to shirk paying your fair share of the bill by claiming you "forgot" your wallet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to neglect
to leave undone or unattended to especially through carelessness
a deadbeat who has been shirking his duty to his family for years
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to lurk
to move about in a sly or secret manner
given the multitude of auditoriums at the multiplex, it's not too difficult for underaged kids to shirk into R-rated movies
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 shirk
In the court’s majority opinion, Justice Amy Coney Barrett forcefully pushed back against Jackson’s suggestion the court shirked on its duty to protect the people from government overreach.
—
Ella Lee, The Hill, 27 June 2025
Michael Boxall’s desire to shirk the spotlight came out moments after the Minnesota United captain was made the center of attention Tuesday.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 26 June 2025
There is no excuse — legal, or otherwise — to fight against legal mandates to save these beloved animals, or for the state to shirk its duty to protect all Florida’s creatures, including manatees and the humans who love them.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2025
The scheme worked and the worker was let go after being caught red-handed in their attempts to shirk responsibilities.
—Matthew Impelli, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shirk
Ella Lee, The Hill, 27 June 2025
Michael Boxall’s desire to shirk the spotlight came out moments after the Minnesota United captain was made the center of attention Tuesday.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 26 June 2025
There is no excuse — legal, or otherwise — to fight against legal mandates to save these beloved animals, or for the state to shirk its duty to protect all Florida’s creatures, including manatees and the humans who love them.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2025
The scheme worked and the worker was let go after being caught red-handed in their attempts to shirk responsibilities.
—Matthew Impelli, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shirk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shirk
Verb
-
Take extra caution when on the road or avoid driving if possible.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Refrain from entering water that may have electricity in it and avoid walking through floodwaters.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Yet America’s system is transactional, rewarding affluence while neglecting the very conditions that produce disease.—
Stan Chu Ilo,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Most companies neglected formal lobbying until faced with scrutiny, potential regulation or in response to crises.—
Paulo Carvão,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Players must navigate nightmarish mazes where monsters lurk at every turn.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The Triangle, one of many signature quirks of Fenway Park, lurks 420 feet from home plate.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The discovery adds a new dimension to understanding cancer and therapy resistance, where cells often evade treatment by shifting states.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Sep. 2025
-
But Moscow has found ways to evade these.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Keep Your Floors, Counters, and Appliances Clean Lastly, don’t forget to keep your floors and counters as clean as possible.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Sep. 2025
-
New York Fashion Week delivers the style inspo on and off the runway while the Emmys bring the red carpet glam, and don’t forget, Taylor Swift is back in the stands serving stadium couture with a blinding new accessory.—
Brittany Talarico,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
During in-class exams, screens may be locked or recording technology may be employed, but students have ways around these, too—sneaking phones in, for example.—
Ashanty Rosario,
The Atlantic,
3 Sep. 2025
-
On the wing of the plane, Bond lands a one-liner before engaging in multiple fistfights, all controlled by the player, before sneaking inside.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
With roughly 180 resorts spread across its atolls, there are dozens of worthy five-star escapes to choose from.—
Katie Lockhart,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Auger-Aliassime played some of his best tennis since the early 2020s in the second and fourth sets, winning the former and having Sinner on the edge of going a break down for 3-1 in the latter, before the Italian escaped.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The ball slipped through Mason’s hands, and what would have been a touchdown turned into a turnover on downs, effectively ending the 49ers’ comeback hopes.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Sep. 2025
-
By the episode's end, however, he's set his sights on Morgan, having surreptitiously slipped a note into her grocery bag.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shirk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shirk. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share