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
That’s so like Craig to shirk responsibility like a woman just asked him when he and his girlfriend are getting married.
—
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2026
Her dissent argues that the Court is shirking its duty to clarify constitutional law in capital cases, where individuals’ lives are on the line.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
Swift’s strong numbers shirk one of her more polarizing release weeks in years, with The Life of a Showgirl garnering mixed critical reviews.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2025
By shirking the Democratic brand, Osborn has a shot at winning his race, as Cockburn points out, and may offer a model for other candidates attempting to dethrone Republicans in rural red states.
—Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shirk
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2026
Her dissent argues that the Court is shirking its duty to clarify constitutional law in capital cases, where individuals’ lives are on the line.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
Swift’s strong numbers shirk one of her more polarizing release weeks in years, with The Life of a Showgirl garnering mixed critical reviews.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2025
By shirking the Democratic brand, Osborn has a shot at winning his race, as Cockburn points out, and may offer a model for other candidates attempting to dethrone Republicans in rural red states.
—Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shirk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shirk
Verb
-
Division 2 After two one-goal victories to reach the finals, Coronado freshman Audrey Roberts and her teammates used a late surge to avoid another close call.—
Glae Thien,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Feb. 2026
-
That’s because more of these people are often snowshoe hikers who normally avoid steep terrain.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Construction is set to begin on a new center in Morgan Hill for abused and neglected children and their families next month.—
Luis Melecio-Zambrano,
Mercury News,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Like many others in his community, Awad believes the Israeli government intentionally neglects crime perpetrated against Palestinian citizens.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Her mind was blurry and her heart felt like a deep crater with something lurking at the bottom of it.—
Mary Gaitskill,
New Yorker,
22 Feb. 2026
-
The radio silence has left local health departments in the dark about threats lurking in their communities.—
Lisa Jarvis,
Mercury News,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
An all-cash purchase avoids scrutiny from financial institutions and evades mandatory reporting.—
Virginia Hammerle,
Dallas Morning News,
22 Feb. 2026
-
What emerged, Jackson told the court Thursday, was the portrait of a transient and calculating offender who operated across multiple states and evaded law enforcement for years.—
Austin Sanders,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Her contributions to the students and staff will not be forgotten.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Your courage in facing long lines of federal officers, your willingness to shout in our name, and your refusal to hide your grief and anger, all of this will not be forgotten.—
Kenety S. Gee,
Twin Cities,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The matchup had the feel of a first-round matchup in the NCAA Tournament with both teams trying to make late runs to sneak into March Madness.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 Feb. 2026
-
These irresistible, creamy purée treats are perfect for picky eaters, bonding moments and sneaking in hydration—cats can’t get enough of them.—
Kasey Caminiti,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Poor weather and battlefield obscurants continue to endanger warfighters as adversaries rely on these conditions to escape attacks.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Then escape the skyscraper shadows into Hong Kong's New Territories.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Beer that turned green − possibly a chemical reaction with the drugs Dominque Pelicot had been slipping into her drinks and food to render her unconscious for the rapes.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
-
According to the National Center for State Courts, Connecticut ranks 21st in wages for general jurisdiction judges, but that slips to 42nd once adjusted for regional differences in cost of living.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shirk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shirk. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
