1
as in avoided
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in neglected
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 sneaked
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 shirked
Importers are supposed to notify Cal Fire when a shipment arrives, but a Bee investigation found that the companies linked to the Esparto property shirked that requirement for years.
—
Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 22 Jan. 2026
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
Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 22 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shirked
Verb
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The Mavericks team doctor later confirmed that Davis avoided surgery to repair the damage.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
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Chapek had initially avoided wading into the discourse, taking a neutral position that became untenable after Iger drew a line in the sand.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Since this area has probably been neglected during the winter months, a declutter can be helpful in the space and reset it for the upcoming spring season.—
Rebecca Jones,
Southern Living,
3 Feb. 2026
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This indicates that this exotic type of deformation should not be neglected in regions where it is known to occur, even if its presence cannot be unambiguously inferred through laser spectroscopy, according to the study.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But then, on a sweltering Alabama afternoon in the summer of 2024, somebody snuck into the police department’s evidence room.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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The first was an odd-angle shot that sneaked by Andrei Vasilevskiy.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Deputies located and attempted to stop the vehicle a short time later, but the driver did not yield and recklessly evaded, and the pursuit was ultimately terminated in the interest of public safety.—
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
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The men, who knew each other from prison, evaded law enforcement for roughly 36 hours, driving north and then heading back down south through Montana before they were arrested in Twin Falls.—
Alex Brizee,
Idaho Statesman,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Dodgers have lurked in the higher end of this free-agent market with shorter-term scenarios that carry bigger annual salaries.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
13 Jan. 2026
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Shackleton began collecting interviews and shot evocative B-roll footage of ghostly California freeways and parking lots where the killer may have once lurked.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
21 Nov. 2025
Verb
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That season’s squad, which had gone to the NIT three straight years, escaped the non-conference schedule with a record of 9-2.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
5 Feb. 2026
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The rescue came about after Jordan Turpin — who was 17 at the time — escaped from the home and told authorities about their captivity and abuse.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But in their daring escape through the window, the crown of Empress Eugénie slipped from their grasp and was left battered on the pavement below.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
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One of The Kid’s classmates slipped through an inflatable ring in my pool, and her mom had to jump in, fully clothed, after her, but that near mishap only seemed to bring our group closer together.—
Jen Wang,
Vogue,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Duprey swerved and slid under a vehicle.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
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Centene — Shares of the health insurance provider slid 5%.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shirked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shirked. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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