1
as in avoiding
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 neglecting
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 sneaking
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 shirking
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
The acrimony between the two camps is seen on social media and in everyday conversations, where calls for showing compassion to the Gazans are met with accusations of naivete, hypocrisy and shirking responsibilities to fellow Jews.
—Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2025
Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2025
The acrimony between the two camps is seen on social media and in everyday conversations, where calls for showing compassion to the Gazans are met with accusations of naivete, hypocrisy and shirking responsibilities to fellow Jews.
—Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shirking
Verb
-
This was a logical progression in the war, as well as a response to the contradictions at the heart of an American policy that sought to assist Ukraine while avoiding direct confrontation with Russia.—
Robert Kagan,
The Atlantic,
10 Sep. 2025
-
This means not just avoiding harm, but also actively promoting health and well-being preventively.—
Kristen Moon,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Natalia’s story grabbed the attention of the public in 2019 when Indiana prosecutors leveled charges against the Barnetts for allegedly neglecting a dependent.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Yet America’s system is transactional, rewarding affluence while neglecting the very conditions that produce disease.—
Stan Chu Ilo,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
And some kids are even sneaking in game sessions during class.—
Annabelle Canela,
Parents,
5 Sep. 2025
-
As with music, doing that work and sneaking in so much sound is all about the beats and the pitch.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Villa have enjoyed a successful style, evading risk and playing with precision.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Thomas Phillips and his children – believed to be ages 9, 10 and 12 – had been evading police in a remote part of the country’s North Island since December 2021, triggering a manhunt that gripped the nation.—
Todd Symons,
CNN Money,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Folklore portrays them as menacing figures lurking in the darkness who can possess those who wander too far from home.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Prices start at just $8 in the Halloween Shop, and witches and ghosts aren’t the only things lurking in there.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Minnesota Vikings were on the short end of the score for three quarters as Caleb Williams was running and escaping from the pass rush and the Chicago Bears appeared to be on their way to a season-opening victory against the division rivals.—
Steve Silverman,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
This is psychoanalysis, plainly, and there is no escaping the mediation of the psyche.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Most of them are slipping after the band left the country and finished its domestic tour dates, but the fact that so many full-lengths are still on the books shows in any capacity how the reunion has reignited interest in the rockers’ back catalog.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Saving Thomas Jefferson’s favorite seed Winn also feels the traditions slipping.—
Lila Hempel-Edgers,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In recent weeks grosses for the show have slipped considerably, with the weekly take at the end of August sliding to an unsustainable $505,142.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Last year at Monza, Red Bull struggled with balance, with the car sliding at times.—
Kanzah Maktoum,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shirking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shirking. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share