shirk

American  

[shurk] / ʃɜrk /

verb (used with object)

1. to evade (work, duty, responsibility, etc.).

   Synonyms:

   dodge, avoid, shun

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verb (used without object)

1. to evade work, duty, etc.

noun

1. a shirker.

shirk ¹ British  

/ ʃɪːk /

noun

1. Islam

   1. the fundamental sin of regarding anything as equal to Allah

   2. any belief that is considered to be in opposition to Allah and Islam

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shirk ² British  

/ ʃɜːk /

verb

1. to avoid discharging (work, a duty, etc); evade

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noun

1. a person who shirks

Other Word Forms

• unshirked adjective
• unshirking adjective

Etymology

Origin of shirk

First recorded in 1625–35; obscurely akin to shark ²

Explanation

To shirk your responsibilities is to avoid dealing with them — like when you watch four consecutive hours of infomercials instead of facing your homework. A verb is an action word, so it's ironic that the verb shirk suggests inaction in the avoidance of work. To shirk carries with it a negative connotation of laziness. When Eleanor Roosevelt was asked how she conquered her shyness to become a powerful public figure, she responded, "I faced each problem as it came along. . . . I never tried to shirk. I tried never to evade an issue. When I found I had something to do — I just did it." Ah, Eleanor, why can't we all be a bit more like you?

Example Sentences

The government's counsel, Jenkin Suen, told the inquiry that authorities would not shirk responsibility and pledged "systemic reforms".

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

There’s a spiritual community that uses spirituality to shirk responsibility.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 11, 2025

Courts can step in, he said, only if prosecutors have bad-faith reasons for such decisions, such as taking bribes or wanting to shirk their work.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 6, 2025

But he was one of the few that didn't shirk a tackle, and still played this game at full intensity.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2025

Newspapers shirk notoriously their editorial responsibilities and print what they think their readers want.

From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin