Synonyms of shirked

shirked

verb

past tense of shirk

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

• avoided
• evaded
• escaped
• eschewed
• shunned
• eluded
• shook
• dodged
• ducked
• prevented
• deflected
• eliminated
• shuffled (out of)
• kept clear of
• scaped
• steered clear of
• fought shy of
• excluded
• finessed
• missed
• circumvented
• precluded
• stayed clear of
• obviated
• averted
• got around
• weaseled (out of)
• thwarted
• parried
• debarred
• diverted
• excepted
• warded (off)
• ruled out
• banned
• bypassed
• outwitted
• outsmarted
• overreached
• barred
• foiled
• frustrated
• skirted
• foxed
• outfoxed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• accepted
• sought
• pursued
• embraced
• welcomed
• incurred
• caught
• courted
• contracted

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

• neglected
• forgot
• slacked (off)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• remembered
• did
• attended (to)
• performed
• carried out
• executed
• accomplished
• achieved
• maintained
• kept up

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

• sneaked
• lurked
• slipped
• slid
• slunk
• stole
• crawled
• skulked
• tiptoed
• snaked
• crept
• pussyfooted
• moused
• mooched
• edged
• inched
• padded
• wormed
• ghosted

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of shirked

There is no question about his attitude or application; this is not a case of a player who has shirked responsibility or failed to work hard enough in training or in matches. —Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026

Rudnev shirked money, power, and influence, of any kind. —William Jones, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026

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