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
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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
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
The ultimate responsibility lies with his enablers: Republican senators who shirked their duty and voted to confirm Cabinet nominees who are outrageously unqualified.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shirk
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
The ultimate responsibility lies with his enablers: Republican senators who shirked their duty and voted to confirm Cabinet nominees who are outrageously unqualified.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shirk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shirk
Verb
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Hoerner avoided the tag, which would’ve been the second out of the inning.—
C. Trent Rosecrans,
New York Times,
26 May 2025
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The collection avoids rigid standards by mixing tailored silhouettes with combat trousers and chunky sneakers.—
Cassell Ferere,
Forbes.com,
25 May 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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Some are found lurking in remote corners of the world, while others have been hiding right under our noses.—
Real-Time news team,
Miami Herald,
25 May 2025
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Though research isn’t conclusive, studies suggest regularly consuming these sweeteners could mess with your microbiome, reducing your levels of supportive gut bugs while elevating the numbers of not-so-beneficial bacteria lurking therein.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
23 May 2025
Verb
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The former prisoners who have continued to evade police for nearly a week include Leo Tate, Jermaine Donald, Derrick Groves, Lenton Vanburen and Antoine Massey, according to USA Today, while Corey Boyd, Gary Price, Kendell Myles, Robert Moody, and Dkenan Dennis have been re-arrested.—
Sean Neumann,
People.com,
22 May 2025
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Penguin Press, June 17 Image El Dorado Drive by Megan Abbott After skipping town to evade a nagging creditor in 2008, Harper returns to her Detroit suburb months later to find her two older sisters, once in the throes of debt, sporting fresh highlights and driving a Lexus.—
Laura Thompson,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
Verb
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Just don’t forget to click the coupon for extra savings.—
Clint Davis,
People.com,
23 May 2025
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Don’t forget about your smartwatch, fitness tracker, or smart ring.—
Simon Hill,
Wired News,
23 May 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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The tumult did not escape the notice of opportunists elsewhere.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
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The focus shifts to Santino and Rosa, who quickly find that the initial euphoria of escaping routines doesn’t protect against relationship struggles.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
22 May 2025
Verb
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The latest approval ratings for Ishiba’s cabinet slipped to 27.4%, a record low, according to a poll by Japanese news agency Kyodo released on Sunday.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
21 May 2025
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Shares of Lockheed have slipped nearly 3% so far in 2025.—
Brian Evans,
CNBC,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shirk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shirk. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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