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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shirks
Verb
-
New research has now demonstrated a simpler approach that avoids the ultrathin selective coatings traditionally considered essential for precise molecular separation.
-
The decision avoids an election-year change in the voting rules and may bolster Democrats in the fall election.
Verb
-
Sam neglects the standards of his profession to protect women who Cady could hurt, especially someone like Sam’s virginal teen daughter, Dani.
-
In high-stakes situations, a leader who fully relies on algorithmic advice neglects the most crucial part of their role.
Verb
-
Jamon has left the past behind, but danger still lurks.
-
Yet despite its reputation, this isn’t a bloodthirsty murder-bird that lurks in the rainforests waiting for its next victim.
Verb
-
Panthalassa evades these regional regulatory and environmental obstacles by deploying autonomous computing nodes directly into deep water.
-
And though bound together as one 10-county region, the Hudson Valley actively evades a uniform identity.
Verb
-
One of them invites Bonnie over for a sleepover, and Jessie sneaks into her overnight bag, not realizing that toys are verboten to the new generation.
-
Fans are less tame, however, when Mamdani sneaks into the bar through a side entrance with New York City’s First Lady, Rama Duwaji.
Verb
-
This one remains scoreless after some early tension, and Austria escapes a close call.
-
How to Get There Remote escapes, by definition, are hard to reach, but the Northern Neck is accessible from a few cities.
Verb
-
Lili KobielskiDiscarded slips across the betting floor Sunday.
-
Edmund Teske slips between genres with two small, dreamy images that layer a woman’s face over the façades of old buildings, like memories that refuse to fade.
Verb
-
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.
-
Anne slinks off with her husband.
Cite this Entry
“Shirks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shirks. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
