Synonyms for shirk

Most common

fiddle · balk US · neglect · shrink · flinch · procrastinate · malinger

Synonyms by meaning

Verb

Noun

Definitions

1. v. 1

   To avoid, especially a duty, responsibility, etc.; to stay away from.

2. v. 2

   To evade an obligation; to avoid the performance of duty, as by running away.

   If you have a job, don't shirk from it by staying off work.

3. n. 1

   One who shirks, who avoids a duty or responsibility.

Related words

Word family

shirker

Is a kind of

avoid evade

Forms

Plural

shirks → skulks, sneaks, dodgers, skulkers…

Past participle

shirked
e.g. shirked → fiddled, avoided, evaded, dodged…

Example sentences

• fiddle You're certainly looking fit as a fiddle today.
• neglect She was dismissed on the grounds of neglect of duty.
• shrink In the Sahel region, Lake Chad continues to shrink.
• flinch He tried not to flinch as the needle approached.
• procrastinate Your tendency to procrastinate caught up to you.

Popularity over time

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

4 letters

duck¹, balk¹

5 letters

avoid², sneak¹, dodge¹, evade², baulk, skulk¹

6 letters

shrink¹, fiddle², dodger², flinch¹, truant², bludge

7 letters

soldier², neglect², skulker

8 letters

malinger, lollygag

13 letters

procrastinate⁴

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (avoid² = 2 syllables).