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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shirk
By shirking the Democratic brand, Osborn has a shot at winning his race, as Cockburn points out, and may offer a model for other candidates attempting to dethrone Republicans in rural red states.
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Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Chancellor Jeremy Haefner told The Denver Post that inclusivity remains a core value at DU and vowed the federal government will not strongarm the campus into shirking from that.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2025
Nick, desperate to return to the present, shirks the doting parents and brother who long to comfort him.
—Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
In new photos from a Beckham family yacht trip off the coast of Italy, Victoria seemed to shirk traditional bathing suit cover ups in favor of wearing sheer, lacy lingerie over her black bikini during a family yacht trip off the coast Italy.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shirk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shirk
Verb
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To avoid this dilemma, my aunt always travels with a portable power bank like this slim option from Anker.—
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Learn how to properly thaw frozen pipes, and how to avoid them in the first place.—
Verb
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And his administration has shown derision for Congress, controlled by the president’s own party, approving historically few bills and neglecting those that have passed, such as the Epstein Files Transparency Act.—
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That soft‑power approach helped humanize a government that was simultaneously centralizing authority, pressuring independent media, and neglecting long‑term investment in the oil sector that underpinned the entire economy.—
Verb
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Below-average play is often staring you right in the face while catastrophe lurks around the corner.—
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The Italian experimental duo creates a sprawling, overstimulating work that celebrates the kitsch lurking behind a wide array of musical forms.—
Verb
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Davis faces three counts of first-degree assault and a single count each of second-degree manslaughter, evading responsibility involving a death, reckless driving and failure to drive in the proper lane.—
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Ashton Hill, 17, was charged with discharge of a firearm in certain municipalities, evading arrest, riot participation, possession of marijuana under two ounces in a drug-free zone and possession of CS PG2 under one gram.—
Verb
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Don't forget to dust and clean the top of the appliance.—
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Prep & Savour Heavy-Duty Kitchenware Pan Divider Don’t forget to tackle your kitchen clutter this year.—
Verb
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Some of my earliest memories are sneaking out of bed to sit at the top of the stairs, desperate to catch a glimpse of the gold and the glamour.—
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If the cover art suggests ’70s private-press albums have snuck into Garm’s rotation, the music seems to confirm it.—
Verb
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Austin Abrams stars as a scuba diver who, while searching for his father’s (Josh Brolin) body, gets swallowed and must find a way to escape.—
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Set in 1977, during Brazil’s military dictatorship, the thriller details Armando and his son in their efforts to escape the country in the midst of political turmoil.—
Verb
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This is the perfect time of year to slip into an ultra-soft flannel set or select a set that exudes hotel luxury.—
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This is designed more like a wallet, with a pouch to slip your passport in as well as external pockets to stash a few essential cards and bills.—
Cite this Entry
“Shirk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shirk. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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