1
as in avoided
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 neglected
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 snuck
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 shirked
In the court’s majority opinion, Justice Amy Coney Barrett forcefully pushed back against Jackson’s suggestion the court shirked on its duty to protect the people from government overreach.
—
Ella Lee, The Hill, 27 June 2025
Ella Lee, The Hill, 27 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shirked
Verb
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Notably, Miami midfielder Sergio Busquets avoided punishment after appearing to strike Vargas on the chin during the post-match melee.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
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During his March 2023 visit to Mariupol, Putin had avoided the theater.—
Yegor Mostovshikov,
The Dial,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Most companies neglected formal lobbying until faced with scrutiny, potential regulation or in response to crises.—
Paulo Carvão,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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Like Jay Kelly, Sentimental Value is about a filmmaker who neglected his family in order to focus on his career — a character played by the veteran Swedish thespian Stellan Skarsgård, who will probably duke it out with Sandler for the best supporting actor Oscar.—
Scott Feinberg,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Large swaths of eastern Colorado have evaded the drought plaguing most of the state west of 25.—
John Meyer,
Denver Post,
10 Sep. 2025
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Weaponized stubbornness Scoring is a straightforward concept, but success in this realm evaded Florida Saturday night.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Supporting star Jason Momoa walked the red carpet in a striking pink suit prior to the screening but snuck out with his entourage before the film played.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
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Near Broadbelt’s home, a very small dog snuck out from behind a fence and barked at reporters on the sidewalk.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Having escaped disaster and gauged the full extent of American self-deterrence, Putin began putting pressure on Ukraine’s neighbors and suppliers.—
Robert Kagan,
The Atlantic,
10 Sep. 2025
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One snake got tear-gassed by police, then shot at five times, and still escaped—only to finally meet its match with a garden hoe (obviously).—
Popular Science Team,
Popular Science,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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For weeks, the New York Ripper case has lurked on the periphery of the series — a boogeyman that the show kept hinting was someone in Dexter’s life.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
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Parasites lurked inside the fish and turned out to be a new species.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Over time, as refrigerators became commonplace, butter dishes slipped into the background.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Sep. 2025
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By day’s end, the team has caught seven Asian swamp eels and documented the presence of many more that slipped through their nets.—
Wesley Bruer,
CNN Money,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shirked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shirked. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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