1
as in to avoid
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 to neglect
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 to lurk
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 shirk
Both regulators and Attorney General William Tong have accused the company of shirking its responsibility to clean up the property, hampering redevelopment opportunities.
—
John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 16 Mar. 2025
After living through that hell, the young Sammie shirks his father's wishes and becomes a blues player of great renown.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Though redeveloping Villa Park’s North Stand was shelved in late 2023, Villa have not shirked infrastructure investment under Sawiris and Edens.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
For those with aspirations to shirk the trend, there are real advantages to keeping things in the family—most of them stemming from a commitment to longevity that precipitates deeper investments in technology and people.
—Ethan Karp, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shirk
John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 16 Mar. 2025
After living through that hell, the young Sammie shirks his father's wishes and becomes a blues player of great renown.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Though redeveloping Villa Park’s North Stand was shelved in late 2023, Villa have not shirked infrastructure investment under Sawiris and Edens.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
For those with aspirations to shirk the trend, there are real advantages to keeping things in the family—most of them stemming from a commitment to longevity that precipitates deeper investments in technology and people.
—Ethan Karp, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shirk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shirk
Verb
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Snow cowered in the back, avoiding eye contact when Kiersten tried reaching her hand out.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
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But the majority of Tributary buyers prefer a turnkey home, avoiding the time and effort required to build a custom residence.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Window treatments appear in nearly every room in the house, but the kitchen has long been neglected, thanks to airflow needs and cooking residue.—
Lauren Thomann,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 May 2025
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However, because of its small flowers, Calibrachoa was long neglected by plant breeders in favor of the petunia with its larger blooms.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
24 May 2025
Verb
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Supermassive black holes lurk all throughout the known universe, but catching one in the act of devouring its cosmic dinner doesn't happen all that often.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
6 June 2025
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In this regard, another early-20th-century influence besides Bulgakov lurks in The Stolen Heart: Mykola Khvylovy.—
Uilleam Blacker,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2025
Verb
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Massey has evaded hundreds of authorities in a multistate manhunt.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
3 June 2025
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The last few months have borne witness to AI systems learning to mislead, cheat, and try to evade shutdown—even resorting to blackmail.—
Harry Booth,
Time,
3 June 2025
Verb
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It’s designed to combat re-arrest and re-incarceration after imprisonment—known as recidivism, create jobs and build dignity for those the system tries to forget.—
Kizzy Cox,
Essence,
4 June 2025
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For one, no studio wants to release its film too early, only to be forgotten when another major contender comes along.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
Verb
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But eventually, the neighbor realized Mystery had been sneaking out against his wishes, as Mystery is an indoor cat only.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
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The Pacers, meanwhile, have solidified themselves as title contenders after sneaking their way into the conference finals last year.—
Eric Jackson,
Sportico.com,
27 May 2025
Verb
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But the Hurricanes escaped further trouble when Joey Urban — with runners on the corners — bounced into an inning-ending double play.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2025
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While restaurants, meatpackers and countless other businesses now risk having workers targeted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, tech employers have largely escaped Trump administration scrutiny for their use of foreign labor.—
Alec MacGillis,
ProPublica,
3 June 2025
Verb
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Based on my firm's analysis, in April 2025, traditional indices moved in different directions: The Dow Jones declined by 3.28% and the S&P 500 slipped 1.10%, while the Nasdaq gained 0.90%.—
Arthur Mouratov,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
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The defense did slip slightly last year — from first to 13th in adjusted efficiency — and that’s in part because Iowa State wasn’t as physical and deep up front.—
CJ Moore,
New York Times,
2 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shirk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shirk. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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