1
as in to avoid
to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery
don't try to duck your commitment to spending Thanksgiving with your family by claiming you have to work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in person
a member of the human race
her coworkers regard her as something of an odd duck
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 duck
Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 10 Sep. 2025
In theory, a hesitation such as this shows the ace -- the defender was not ready for your play and was not sure whether to duck or not.
—Deb Harvell, Arkansas Online, 31 Aug. 2025
Joseph Person, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
And, of course, there is the great French food of Normandy, including Canard a la presse (duck) and the aforementioned cheeses.
—Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for duck
Verb
Then, everyone started ducking down.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 10 Sep. 2025
In theory, a hesitation such as this shows the ace -- the defender was not ready for your play and was not sure whether to duck or not.
—Deb Harvell, Arkansas Online, 31 Aug. 2025
Noun
Although nobody accounted for Wilson, Canales indicated that Young should have duck and covered.
—Joseph Person, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
And, of course, there is the great French food of Normandy, including Canard a la presse (duck) and the aforementioned cheeses.
—Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for duck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duck
Verb
-
Republicans, who say school security and improving mental health services are the best way to avoid future tragedies, have firmly opposed any new gun control measures.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
20 Sep. 2025
-
Nabbing that last prize requires more hot talk, sharply pointed commentary and treading territory Carson usually avoided.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Aliée Istanbul All of the hotels bordering the Bosphorus have an impressive view of the boats weaving through the river’s currents and the Asian half of Istanbul on the other side.—
Laurie Werner,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Our Top Picks for the Best Bedroom Rugs Solid rugs can bring a pop of color into your bedroom and weave in texture at the same time.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Getty Images That upward trajectory stands in contrast to the United States, where life expectancy virtually flatlined during the 2010s and even dipped slightly on occasions during the 2010s—a trend blamed in large part on a surge in deaths from overdoses from the synthetic opioid fentanyl.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Paulino and McLaughlin-Levrone both dipped under the previous championship record to lead the greatest 400-meter dash final in history.—
Katelyn Hutchison,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
For a person with asthma or COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or bronchitis and emphysema), this means coughing, wheezing, or a feeling of suffocation, or even a trip to the emergency room.—
Bill Frist,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Team president Chris Drury and coach Mike Sullivan addressed reporters Wednesday from the MSG Training Center for the first time in person since Sullivan’s May 8 introductory press conference.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Rather than provide food or temporary shelter for such workers in the colder months, municipalities would round them up and remove them, to save money and evade any responsibility to aid them.—
Time,
Time,
16 Sep. 2025
-
In Milwaukee, Kellner said that around 33% of bus riders have evaded paying fares in 2025 but that the agency has identified a few cost-neutral strategies targeted at reducing fare evasion down to 30% by September 2026, the same rate of evasion busses saw in 2024.—
Claudia Levens,
jsonline.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
To dodge over $8 million in sales taxes, according to New York Attorney General Letitia James.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Until that moment, Cardi B had dodged the relationship rumors.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Imagine wearing a flamingo outfit while dunking your target’s head in a toilet.—
George Yang,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
-
For Denver, one thing Johnson’s lob prowess should create is another way to optimize the superlative athleticism and dunking ability of Aaron Gordon, with Christian Braun, Peyton Watson and DaRon Holmes also being potential targets.—
Joel Rush,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
That guy has joined the pantheon of producer-to-the-stars with artists including Dua Lipa, Duran Duran, Bruno Mars and Billie Eilish.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Crawford has been careful and wise to pick fights against guys who have something on the line and stand to lose just as much as him—if not more.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Duck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duck. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share