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GRE vocabulary

shirk

verbHigh-frequency wordMore S words

to avoid or neglect a duty or responsibility

Word origin: Possibly from German Schurke, a rogue.

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In a sentence

Shirk in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing shirk in a sentence.

She never shirked the hardest tasks on the team.

Rather than shirk the unpleasant assignment, she volunteered to handle it before anyone could be conscripted.

Synonyms
Antonyms
embracefulfill

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Verbal · Text Completion

The committee's report was praised for its candor, yet its central recommendation was so blank that administrators could cite it to justify nearly any policy they had already resolved to pursue.

Select the word that best completes the sentence.

Usage & nuance

Using “shirk” well

Shirk means to avoid or neglect a duty, typically one that is unpleasant or burdensome. It carries a clear note of disapproval, implying evasion of a responsibility one owes.

Common questions

Questions about “shirk”

Shirk (verb) means to avoid or neglect a duty or responsibility
Here is shirk used in an example sentence: "She never shirked the hardest tasks on the team." Another example: "Rather than shirk the unpleasant assignment, she volunteered to handle it before anyone could be conscripted."
Common synonyms for shirk include evade, dodge, neglect.
Antonyms of shirk include embrace, fulfill.
Clusters with evade, dodge, and neglect in Sentence Equivalence. Its antonyms embrace and fulfill mark the opposite, dutiful response.
Yes. Shirk is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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