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 sneaked
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 shirked
Rudnev shirked money, power, and influence, of any kind.
—
William Jones, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Importers are supposed to notify Cal Fire when a shipment arrives, but a Bee investigation found that the companies linked to the Esparto property shirked that requirement for years.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 22 Jan. 2026
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
William Jones, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Importers are supposed to notify Cal Fire when a shipment arrives, but a Bee investigation found that the companies linked to the Esparto property shirked that requirement for years.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 22 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shirked
Verb
-
Petty crime, like pickpocketing and phone theft, is more common in Paris and can be easily avoided.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Crown and root rots are easily avoided through proper plant siting to ensure adequate soil drainage.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Berman rehabilitates rabbits that are abandoned, neglected, abused, and in danger of being euthanized.—
Sharon Chin,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Cluttered furniture, peeling paint, or overgrown plants can make your porch feel neglected and uninviting.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This era of college basketball — the NIL and portal combination — has either robbed Self of his greatest strength or at least sneaked a few pennies from the community tray.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Long Beach and Bakersfield snuck in to the top 20 with Sacramento, taking the 16th and 17th spots respectively.—
Jason Pierce,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This was an incredibly complex and dangerous operation for the rescue team and for that missing Air Force aviator who had evaded capture behind enemy lines for days.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Kiki Rice then hit a series of free throws and UCLA evaded Texas’ fourth-quarter comeback effort after the Longhorns went on a 12-2 run.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The walls disappeared into a forest of trees, where live monkeys and at least one bear lurked behind the trunks.—
Serena Turner,
Vanity Fair,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Boisterous and welcoming, Georgia regaled us with tales from Gary’s childhood, but a concern for her son’s present state lurked not far beneath the surface.—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In one instance, a detainee escaped when there was no staff assigned to watch the perimeter fences.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Vivian smooths any potential strands that may have escaped from her low bun and then brushes up the steep stone steps to the front door.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The story began on March 24, when a hiker slipped and fell from a 180-foot waterfall in wild New Zealand bush.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
-
And, as prices slipped below key levels like $5,000, selling pressure picked up quickly, driven less by a major change in fundamentals and more by positioning.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Grisham slid home just ahead of left fielder Heriberto Hernandez’s throw.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
-
As preparations were ongoing for the game, ice slid off the stadium and struck six workers.—
Nick Harris
April 3,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shirked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shirked. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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