Synonyms of shirking

shirking

verb

present participle of shirk

1

as in avoiding

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

• avoiding
• evading
• escaping
• shunning
• eschewing
• dodging
• eluding
• shaking
• preventing
• deflecting
• ducking
• eliminating
• shuffling (out of)
• scaping
• finessing
• keeping clear of
• circumventing
• steering clear of
• excluding
• fighting shy of
• staying clear of
• getting around
• precluding
• missing
• weaseling (out of)
• obviating
• averting
• thwarting
• parrying
• excepting
• diverting
• debarring
• banning
• warding (off)
• bypassing
• ruling out
• outwitting
• overreaching
• skirting
• foiling
• barring
• outsmarting
• frustrating
• outfoxing
• foxing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• seeking
• accepting
• pursuing
• embracing
• catching
• contracting
• courting
• welcoming
• incurring

2

as in neglecting

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

• neglecting
• forgetting
• slacking (off)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• doing
• performing
• remembering
• attending (to)
• carrying out
• executing
• achieving
• accomplishing
• maintaining
• keeping up

3

as in sneaking

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

• sneaking
• lurking
• slipping
• sliding
• stealing
• slinking
• skulking
• crawling
• tiptoeing
• creeping
• snaking
• pussyfooting
• mooching
• mousing
• edging
• inching
• padding
• worming
• ghosting

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of shirking

Without shirking responsibility, the 52-year-old explained that her judgment had been clouded in part by other circumstances in her life. —Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026

The book opened a window on the lives of Silicon Valley’s Tech Bro culture, one that valued fierce competition, shirking of government rules and business growth above all else. —Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026

The three central male characters — Mike, Lou, and Orman — all converge on the archetype of the lone wolf, a dubious label the collaboration-shirking Lou has taken on in his precinct, and one his colleagues are decidedly over. —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 11 Feb. 2026

By shirking their duty to maintain order and protect agents, these local officials endanger lives and undermine national security. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 12 Jan. 2026

Wife Swap explains this as Emily shirking her stay-at-home-mom responsibilities by ending up on a TV show. —Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025

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

All that seemed to be undone in an instant when Cristhian Mosquera’s sloppy backpass was followed by Gabriel shirking his defensive responsibilities, allowing Nick Woltemade to head home. —Art De Roché, New York Times, 29 Sep. 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