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
-
Shifting key conversations to group settings builds alignment, avoids silos and saves time.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The new system avoids this brute-force approach.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
What a leader neglects in the dark will inevitably be revealed in the light, often at staggering costs.—
Julian Hayes II,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
This narrative neglects the systemic nature of discrimination, Black lived experiences, and ongoing activism.—
Time,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Triangle, one of many signature quirks of Fenway Park, lurks 420 feet from home plate.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Possibility lurks everywhere, even after losses.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Renewed sanctions may not deal much of an economic blow to Iran, especially if China evades them, but can be a potent political tool to stir fears of vulnerability and future military action, a Washington Institute expert argued.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
1 Sep. 2025
-
There has been a lot of research into understanding how cancer evades the body’s immune system, and the ways that science might be able to get around that.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Aloe vera sneaks in lightweight hydration, and wheat protein helps strengthen to keep breakage at bay.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
10 Sep. 2025
-
And if his club sneaks into the postseason and perhaps make a successful run, don’t forget his role in getting them there.—
Tony Blengino,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Laura escapes her grasp and submerges Cherry, which Daniel witnesses.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Although the shooting causes alarm and triggers police investigations, Serafina initially escapes direct consequences by going into hiding.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
That answer will likely dictate whether XRP enters a new growth phase or slips back into another stretch of uncertainty.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Beat out Luke Gifford in practice or Gifford’s play slips?—
Matt Barrows,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Route 128 slinks through the folds of Anderson Valley like a slow river, past vineyards clinging to hillsides and orchards heavy with apple blossoms come spring.—
Lauren Mowery,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shirks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shirks. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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