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
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 shirk
Haugen appeared on 60 Minutes and testified before Congress, telling lawmakers that Facebook had shirked its responsibility to its most vulnerable users, largely because profit is king.
—
Jibin Joseph, PCMAG, 28 Feb. 2025
Some states chose to shirk the federal title of Washington's birthday, opting instead for Presidents' (or President's, or Presidents) Day monikers.
—Avery Lotz, Axios, 17 Feb. 2025
Some have suggested that despite his questionable skills while streaming, Musk may actually be the one playing for hours on end to level up his character, shirking other responsibilities.
—Kalhan Rosenblatt, NBC News, 17 Jan. 2025
To have done otherwise on the facts developed during our work would have been to shirk my duties as a prosecutor and a public servant.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shirk
Jibin Joseph, PCMAG, 28 Feb. 2025
Some states chose to shirk the federal title of Washington's birthday, opting instead for Presidents' (or President's, or Presidents) Day monikers.
—Avery Lotz, Axios, 17 Feb. 2025
Some have suggested that despite his questionable skills while streaming, Musk may actually be the one playing for hours on end to level up his character, shirking other responsibilities.
—Kalhan Rosenblatt, NBC News, 17 Jan. 2025
To have done otherwise on the facts developed during our work would have been to shirk my duties as a prosecutor and a public servant.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shirk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shirk
Verb
-
Soundproofing your apartment and crate-training your pup will help your dog bark less and avoid complaints from angry neighbors.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Mar. 2025
-
And in the weeks leading up to the film’s release, Zegler has gamely promoted the film and avoided any obvious stumbles.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
However, neglecting compliance can have disastrous consequences.—
Rasmus Holst,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Multi-club ownership throws up potential for conflicts of interest and the prospect of sheer neglect towards the smaller clubs in a portfolio.—
The Athletic FC Podcast,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Redondo Beach — The Trump administration’s targeting of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will jeopardize efforts to save sea lions, dolphins, sea birds and other wildlife stricken by poisons lurking offshore, say marine scientists, public health officials and animal rescuers.—
Susanne Rust,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2025
-
Some are found lurking in remote corners of the world, while others have been hiding right under our noses.—
Stories by Real-Time news team, with AI summarization,
Miami Herald,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
DeAngelo evaded prosecution for years while committing a string of murders and rapes across the Golden State between 1974 and 1986, including two murders and nine kidnappings in Sacramento County alone.—
Lia Russell,
Sacramento Bee,
22 Mar. 2025
-
However, Boasberg says the department evaded its obligations.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
From the start, many critics worried that school summer vacations would lead students to forget their lessons and waste time in unhealthy idleness.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
23 Mar. 2025
-
Importantly for Coleman, Barry has never forgotten who has done well by him.—
Simon Hughes,
The Athletic,
23 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
That Ukraine’s fiber-optic FPVs are now sneaking up on Russians in their sleeping bags is a good indication that the drones are becoming extremely capable.—
David Axe,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Investigators learned the girl had snuck out of her house at about 1:30 a.m. to meet up with someone, and that person likely killed her and left her body until it was found about eight hours later, Nienhuis said.—
Olivia Lloyd,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
In fact, research shows that beyond escaping poverty, additional wealth has little impact on long-term emotional well-being.—
Shane Enete,
Forbes,
24 Mar. 2025
-
Yolanda, who escaped across the border into Mexico later that day, was named a primary suspect.—
Stephen Sorace,
Fox News,
23 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Her sister, Nevaeh Garton, wrote in a GoFundMe description that Stockard slipped as the dolphin lifted her in the air on Monday, March 17.—
Brenton Blanchet,
People.com,
22 Mar. 2025
-
Hands, lots of hands—outstretched, passing cords, clutching mikes, slipping vinyl out of sleeves, scratching records, tapping pads, scrawling signatures onto posters.—
Sheldon Pearce,
The New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shirk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shirk. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share