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
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Recent Examples of shirk
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
By contrast, the drama-less previous season, All Stars 9, shirked eliminations entirely in favor of playing for charity.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 30 May 2025
Firms are also shirking responsibility for duties and seeking to pawn tariff costs off on suppliers.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 22 May 2025
Just a few years earlier, in a 1993 profile in Vibe magazine, Mr. Combs had seemed to shirk all responsibility.
—Ben Sisario, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shirk
Matthew Impelli, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025
By contrast, the drama-less previous season, All Stars 9, shirked eliminations entirely in favor of playing for charity.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 30 May 2025
Firms are also shirking responsibility for duties and seeking to pawn tariff costs off on suppliers.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 22 May 2025
Just a few years earlier, in a 1993 profile in Vibe magazine, Mr. Combs had seemed to shirk all responsibility.
—Ben Sisario, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shirk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shirk
Verb
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For efficient and safe removal, residents should avoid stacking debris near trees, utility poles, mailboxes, fire hydrants, or meters.—
Robbie Farias,
Austin American Statesman,
12 July 2025
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Together, the groups have created a high-tech stage in the upper stands, to avoid potentially damaging the pitch at halftime of such an important game, featuring 40,000 pounds of gear, scenery and structural trusses.—
Melanie Anzidei,
New York Times,
12 July 2025
Verb
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Here’s what people in the happiest relationship do during the weekdays — that most neglect.—
Mark Travers,
CNBC,
13 July 2025
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His defense attorney at the time, Brooke Wells, argued for leniency, saying that Menzies had a long history of being abused and neglected as a child and had been diagnosed with mental disorders, the Tribune reported.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
Verb
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These brief Charley moments are frankly much more dynamic than any repetitive scene of Dexter lurking around his son.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
11 July 2025
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The incident comes as paranoia surrounding the possibility of a serial killer lurking within the New England region grips the area following a series of unexplained deaths in recent months.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
10 July 2025
Verb
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Dexter stalks his next victim (Marc Menchaca) — a killer who targets ride-share drivers — while the ghost of his father Harry (James Remar) urges him to be careful, and a fidgety Harrison tries to evade police suspicions.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
10 July 2025
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Ten people involved in the ambush were arrested that night or early the next morning, but Song evaded capture, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 July 2025
Verb
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Child and pet safety: Never forget to safeguard young children and pets by not leaving them unattended in vehicles, especially during scorching weather when car interiors can become life-threateningly hot.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
11 July 2025
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Some slogans and ad campaigns are quickly forgotten.—
Seth Emerson,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
Verb
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At several shows, bright colors snuck onto the runway, sometimes paired with equally subversive messaging, and, at other times, a playful new take on tradition.—
Alice Pfeiffer,
CNN Money,
1 July 2025
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At the end of Season 2, In-ho so graciously betrays everybody and eventually sneaks away from the pack, fakes his own death of the walkie talkie, and then puts his mask back on and punishes Gi-hun for causing this whole revolt and shoots and kills his best friend right in front of him.—
Jim Halterman,
Variety,
1 July 2025
Verb
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And not to get spoilery, but this book is part thriller, and the need to escape becomes quite literal.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
9 July 2025
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Tanya Ramsey's brother and mother were staying in a cabin 100 yards away, and Jeff Ramsey's call to them gave them enough time to escape, Jake Ramsey said.—
Emily Shapiro,
ABC News,
9 July 2025
Verb
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Without nuclear energy to provide the stable, always-on foundation for clean energy, those goals are slipping further from reach.—
Micky Horstman,
Chicago Tribune,
7 July 2025
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Then, Piastri accelerated away and Verstappen spun out trying to match the Australian, slipping from second to 10th place.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
6 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shirk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shirk. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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