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
Chancellor Jeremy Haefner told The Denver Post that inclusivity remains a core value at DU and vowed the federal government will not strongarm the campus into shirking from that.
—
Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2025
The acrimony between the two camps is seen on social media and in everyday conversations, where calls for showing compassion to the Gazans are met with accusations of naivete, hypocrisy and shirking responsibilities to fellow Jews.
—Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2025
Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2025
The acrimony between the two camps is seen on social media and in everyday conversations, where calls for showing compassion to the Gazans are met with accusations of naivete, hypocrisy and shirking responsibilities to fellow Jews.
—Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shirking
Verb
-
Holding the youths accountable and avoiding jail is not the program's only goal.—
Everett Eaton,
jsonline.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
But avoiding these motions is another way for the wrist to weaken.—
Novant Health,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Yet America’s system is transactional, rewarding affluence while neglecting the very conditions that produce disease.—
Stan Chu Ilo,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Without a doubt, this look prioritizes comfort without neglecting style, just as it was done decades ago.—
Michel Mejía,
Glamour,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
And some kids are even sneaking in game sessions during class.—
Annabelle Canela,
Parents,
5 Sep. 2025
-
As with music, doing that work and sneaking in so much sound is all about the beats and the pitch.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Ogles has attacked O’Connell repeatedly this year, claiming city government has assisted violent criminals in evading arrest by federal immigration enforcement.—
Vivian Jones,
Nashville Tennessean,
4 Sep. 2025
-
After six months of barely evading capture, an escape plan was hatched that saw the soldier cross into Spain and eventual freedom.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Folklore portrays them as menacing figures lurking in the darkness who can possess those who wander too far from home.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Prices start at just $8 in the Halloween Shop, and witches and ghosts aren’t the only things lurking in there.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In this add on, a meteor lands on a volcanic island and so Kirby is left collecting shards of a shattered crystal and preventing an eerie presence from inside the rock from escaping.—
Joshua Lamb,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
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The Story of Pearl Girl centers on a sharp, scrappy heroine (Zhao Lusi) who claws her way into high society after escaping a cruel pearl farm.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Most of them are slipping after the band left the country and finished its domestic tour dates, but the fact that so many full-lengths are still on the books shows in any capacity how the reunion has reignited interest in the rockers’ back catalog.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Saving Thomas Jefferson’s favorite seed Winn also feels the traditions slipping.—
Lila Hempel-Edgers,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In recent weeks grosses for the show have slipped considerably, with the weekly take at the end of August sliding to an unsustainable $505,142.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Last year at Monza, Red Bull struggled with balance, with the car sliding at times.—
Kanzah Maktoum,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shirking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shirking. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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