1
as in avoids
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 neglects
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 lurks
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 shirks
Nick, desperate to return to the present, shirks the doting parents and brother who long to comfort him.
—
Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shirks
Verb
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But the Morneaults take a route that intentionally avoids passing by the storefront on the western entrance to Pratt Street.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
29 May 2026
-
As a reminder, any candidate with more than 50% avoids a runoff.—
Adam Beam,
AJC.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
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In high-stakes situations, a leader who fully relies on algorithmic advice neglects the most crucial part of their role.—
Shai Zamanian,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
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What this narrative neglects are all the ways treatment might cause terrible side effects, or the long period one spends being sick, and how one’s identity may have changed in the interim.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Verb
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What starts as a mystery becomes an existential horror film, a harrowing journey into a landscape in which death lurks around every corner.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
23 May 2026
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But the most worrisome aspect of any collision between the Milky Way and Andromeda is the supermassive black hole that lurks at the center of each.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
22 May 2026
Verb
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In March, the French navy seized an oil tanker in the Mediterranean that Macron said belonged to Russia’s shadow fleet, which comprises several hundred tankers through which Russia evades sanctions.—
Joseph Ataman,
CNN Money,
1 June 2026
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At one point, Griffin appears to lunge at Manetta, who evades him by ducking behind a column on the platform.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Fans are less tame, however, when Mamdani sneaks into the bar through a side entrance with New York City’s First Lady, Rama Duwaji.—
Melanie Anzidei,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
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This bucket crossbody bag satisfies both in a minimalist silhouette, which sneaks in luxurious details like nappa leather trims, protective metal feet, and a secure zipper top closure.—
Olivia Cigliano,
InStyle,
26 May 2026
Verb
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They are joined by Milo (Yeukayi Ushe), whose slippery jelly Tama escapes his control; Ameline (Evanna Lynch), Ssyelle’s mousy, enigmatic roommate; and Milo’s too-cool brother Odward (Waylon Jacobs).—
Allison McClain Merrill,
Parents,
8 June 2026
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One of Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s many allures is its neighboring adventure town of Gatlinburg, one of the top vacation escapes in the Southeast.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Travel + Leisure,
7 June 2026
Verb
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King Charles slips on a colorful boa to walk in the Formation Parade for the King's Gurkha Artillery in Salisbury, England, on June 4.—
People Staff,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
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There were no guarantees, no safety nets, and no permission slips.—
Keith Krach,
Fortune,
7 June 2026
Verb
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Hurts Like Hell is Cornfield’s twangiest album yet, thanks in large part to the pedal steel that slinks through its songs, handled like quicksilver by Adam Brisbin.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
31 Mar. 2026
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Anne slinks off with her husband.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shirks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shirks. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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