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Glite Dictionary
to shirk

to shirk

19 6.3
To avoid doing work because it is hard or unpleasant
  • verb
  • /ʃɜrk/
translation icon : eludir
  • Many workers tend to shirk their duties when they feel overwhelmed by tasks.
  • shirk their responsibility
  • shirk their duty

We're still up a lot and we need to own that, fix it and move on, not be defensive or shirk blame.

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Examples

  • On the other hand, I do not wish to play the coward and just shirk the issue.

    Academic text (1997)

  • We are shirking that duty.

    Like Father Like Son (1987)

  • It's my duty and I never shirk my duty.

    Bogo the Clown (2017)

  • 15. They will shirk their duty if they can get away with it.

    Academic text (1997)

  • But someone has got to do it, and I'm not one to shirk responsibility.

    Blog text (22)

  • Not to mention subordinates who shirk responsibility.

    The Night of the Generals (1967)

  • I'm just tired of people shirking responsibility for their actions.

    Goodbye Lover (1999)

  • However, it should not be an excuse for the UNHCR to shirk its responsibility to provide protection to the refugees.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Although terrified of the disease, Katherine did not shirk from it.

    Academic text (2003)

  • Some scholars worry that U.S. courts are shirking cases that involve foreign litigants, foreign laws, or foreign harms.

    Academic text (2017)

Synonyms

to shun
vsto shirk
26 4.6

To avoid someone or something and refuse to meet and speak to them on purpose

avoids duties or responsibilities specifically rather than avoiding people or things
to fiddle
vsto shirk
  • Informal
7 7.7

To avoid work by doing small unimportant tasks

avoids duties to escape difficulty or unpleasantness rather than idle distraction
to shrink from
vsto shirk
7 5.1

Avoid doing something difficult or unpleasant because you are afraid

avoids duties to escape difficulty or unpleasantness rather than fear
to cop out
vsto shirk
  • Informal
5 7.8

Avoid a task you should do by making an excuse

avoids duties to escape difficulty or unpleasantness rather than to excuse self
to goldbrick
vsto shirk
  • Archaic
1 9.5

To avoid work by pretending to be busy

avoids duties because they are unpleasant rather than by deception
to scrimshank
vsto shirk
  • Archaic
9.9

To avoid work or duties by pretending to be sick

avoids responsibilities generally rather than specifically by feigning illness

Antonyms

to fulfill
  • US
265 2.8

To do what is required or promised

to take responsibility
193 3.3

To admit you caused a problem and accept the blame

How Responsible

to fulfill
  • US
265 2.8
to perform
∞ 1.3
to neglect
256 3.8
to avoid
∞ 1.0
to shirk
19 6.3

Surface Forms

shirk infinitive
shirked past
shirked past participle
shirking present participle
shirks third person singular

Etymology

The word shirk probably comes from an old German word meaning 'to turn aside' or 'avoid', so imagine someone physically turning away from a task. That's why to shirk a duty is to avoid or neglect it.