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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shirking
In the meantime, each of the three companies is shirking blame.
—
Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 5 June 2026
And Macy’s is still doing those in New York City this summer, so nobody’s shirking on the fireworks.
—Paige Darrah, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 May 2026
Paying influencers is legal, though state law requires both campaigns and the creators to disclose compensation, which the Becerra and Steyer campaigns have each accused the other of shirking in recent ethics complaints.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 22 May 2026
Hong Kong — China’s top spy agency has come out of the shadows to warn that its young people are being duped by foreign forces into shirking hard work and prioritizing their individual emotions at the expense of national development.
—Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
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
Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 5 June 2026
And Macy’s is still doing those in New York City this summer, so nobody’s shirking on the fireworks.
—Paige Darrah, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 May 2026
Paying influencers is legal, though state law requires both campaigns and the creators to disclose compensation, which the Becerra and Steyer campaigns have each accused the other of shirking in recent ethics complaints.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 22 May 2026
Hong Kong — China’s top spy agency has come out of the shadows to warn that its young people are being duped by foreign forces into shirking hard work and prioritizing their individual emotions at the expense of national development.
—Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shirking
Verb
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The drone filmed from the north and south ends of the channel and shot an FWC boat travelling around the same speed that Pino’s Robalo was going on the day of the crash and the same path before avoiding the piling at the last second.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
11 June 2026
-
Some golfers have committed to staying with LIV, as long as the tour continues to function, and avoiding a return to the PGA Tour.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 June 2026
Verb
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On Tuesday, while the spotlight unfortunately found outfielder Jo Adell when a home run bounced off his head, the Angels attracted little attention for the fundamental mistakes of neglecting to cover third base on one play and second base on another.—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
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The organizations that struggle will be the ones that chase technical sophistication while neglecting the people who apply it.—
Usman Shuja,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Despite the cheer from their family and friends, Emma is seen looking deeply unhappy in her wedding dress and sneaking into an office to drink liquor straight from the bottle, while Charlie loses composure during a meeting, throwing files to the ground in a fit of rage.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Dec. 2025
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The show tackled serious themes like class, anxiety, mental health, and colorism, while still sneaking in moments of joy and nostalgia.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
10 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Daniels later pleaded no contest to evading a police officer, court records show, in a deal that saw prosecutors dismiss numerous other charges, including second degree burglary of a vehicle and four counts of assault on a police officer.—
Harry Harris,
Mercury News,
8 June 2026
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In the latter case, forgetting can become a tool for evading accountability.—
Victoria Marshall,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Produced by Heavy Lifting Productions in association with 3 Arts Entertainment, Knighted follows a missing person’s case that spirals into an absurd documentary-style exploration of the sinister secrets lurking beneath the enchanting pageantry of a local medieval dinner theatre.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
11 June 2026
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The evil is always lurking, waiting to take over, even in a place like Israel.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Some were seen walking away after escaping the aircraft.—
Diego Mendoza,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
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The film centers on three women in a remote Bangladeshi village – blind Momi, schoolgirl Hima, and pregnant Laili – who dream of escaping a world shaped by superstition and religious conservatism, with consequences that grow increasingly dire for each of them.—
Jenny S. Li,
Variety,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Imagine a huge scorpion the size of a baseball bat, scrambling over mossy rocks and around large, treelike structures before slipping into a nearby stream.—
Shraddha Chakradhar,
CNN Money,
10 June 2026
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And then there were celebration performances for The Book of Mormon (15th anniversary) and Chicago (30th anniversary), with stars from the past slipping back into their old roles.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Hydroplaning happens when a vehicle starts sliding uncontrollably on wet roads.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2026
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The main event, though, is the ski room—where ski butlers furnish guests with state-of-the-art skis before sliding them onto the slicked Jardin Alpin piste with or without an instructor.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shirking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shirking. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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