Pronunciation: /ʃɜːrk/

Definitions of shirk

noun the action of avoiding or neglecting a duty or responsibility

Example Sentences

A1 She always tries to shirk her responsibilities at work.

A2 He was caught trying to shirk his duties by leaving early.

B1 It is important not to shirk difficult tasks in order to grow professionally.

B2 The manager noticed that some employees were trying to shirk their workload.

C1 The CEO does not tolerate employees who shirk their responsibilities.

C2 The company has a zero-tolerance policy for employees who shirk their duties.

verb to avoid or neglect a duty or responsibility

Example Sentences

A1 I never shirk my responsibilities at home.

A2 She always shirks her homework by pretending to be sick.

B1 Employees who shirk their duties will face consequences.

B2 He was accused of shirking his duties as team captain.

C1 The CEO cannot afford to shirk his leadership responsibilities.

C2 It is unprofessional to shirk important tasks in the workplace.

Examples of shirk in a Sentence

formal It is unacceptable to shirk one's responsibilities in the workplace.

informal Don't shirk your duties, make sure you do what you're supposed to.

slang Stop shirking, get your act together and do your job.

figurative He tried to shirk the blame, but it was clear he was responsible for the mistake.

Grammatical Forms of shirk

past tense

shirked

plural

shirks

comparative

more shirking

superlative

most shirking

present tense

shirks

future tense

will shirk

perfect tense

has shirked

continuous tense

is shirking

singular

shirk

positive degree

shirker

infinitive

to shirk

gerund

shirking

participle

shirked

Origin and Evolution of shirk

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Arabic
Story behind the word: The word 'shirk' originates from the Arabic word 'sharaka', which means to associate partners with God or to commit idolatry.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'shirk' has come to be used in a broader sense to refer to the act of avoiding or neglecting one's duties or responsibilities, especially in a religious context.