shirk duty

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "shirk duty" is correct and commonly used in written English.
It means to avoid or neglect one's responsibilities or obligations. Example: The manager warned his employees not to shirk duty and to complete their tasks on time.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

So it's no surprise when we fail individually when we shirk duty, when we hate our parents, when we run away, when we get drunk every night, when we lose love... when we lose love.

The New Yorker

Be confident: "Good Pride" is clean, pure, seeking education and betterment for sharing it -- not neglectful, but prudent, not self-seeking, to shirk duty nor "con" people, not corrupt.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

This focus on taking responsibility for one's own actions leads to a desire to consistently improve and not shirk duties.

Huffington Post

His inaugural act will increase suffering by shirking duty.

The New Yorker

Whenever he could, he shirked duty to immerse himself in novels by Graham Greene and Joseph Heller; sometimes he read to his fellow-officers from "Catch-22," which seemed especially relevant.

The New Yorker

It's a compelling analogy: in both cases, the conscientiousness of the enlightened few is no match for the negligence of the many, and the cost of shirking duty is spread too widely to keep any one malefactor in line.

The New Yorker

ContItsed in Part 2. Sign up for the best of VICE, delivered to your inbox daily.

Vice

"A coward who has never faced danger in his life, an insecure brat who shirked duty for comfort, and a man who is wholly unfit to serve as commander-in-chief".

Los Angeles Times

(Mr. Jackson's lyrics include the line "What would Jimmy Buffett do?") The song is a Jazzfest natural, with its message of shirking duties and seeking liquid comfort, in the form of a long, tall hurricane.

The New York Times

Other outcomes include shirking duties, moonlighting, laxity at work or efforts to change jobs, which echo findings in Ethiopia [ 15] and Malawi [ 31].

Human Resources for Health

None of our members shirk this duty.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "shirk duty" when you want to emphasize the avoidance of a specific responsibility or task. For broader avoidance of general responsibilities, consider "evade responsibility".

Common error

Avoid using "shirk duty" when you mean to delegate a task or responsibility to someone else. "Shirk duty" implies avoidance, while delegation implies assignment.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "shirk duty" functions as a verb phrase, typically used to describe the act of avoiding or neglecting one's responsibilities or obligations. It combines a verb ("shirk") with a noun ("duty") to express the concept of neglecting what one is expected to do. Ludwig AI confirms this usage.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "shirk duty" is a grammatically correct and relatively uncommon expression that means to avoid or neglect one's responsibilities. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage. It is most frequently found in news and media contexts. When using the phrase, ensure it accurately reflects the avoidance of a specific duty rather than general irresponsibility. Alternative phrases such as "evade responsibility" or "neglect obligation" may be suitable depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey. While "shirk duty" is understandable, consider its frequency when choosing it for your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

evade responsibility

Focuses on avoiding the broader concept of responsibility rather than a specific duty.

neglect obligation

Highlights the failure to fulfill an obligation, a formal type of duty.

dodge duty

Implies actively avoiding duty, often with cunning or trickery.

abandon responsibility

Emphasizes a complete and permanent relinquishment of responsibility.

fail to fulfill duty

States a failure to carry out one's duty.

be derelict in one's duty

Uses a more formal and often legalistic tone to express neglect of duty.

circumvent duty

Indicates finding a way around a duty, often through clever means.

walk away from duty

Suggests a deliberate abandonment of duty, often implying moral failing.

renege on obligation

Focuses on breaking a promise or agreement to fulfill a duty.

disregard duty

Emphasizes a lack of attention or respect for one's duty.

FAQs

How can I use "shirk duty" in a sentence?

You can use "shirk duty" to describe someone avoiding a responsibility, for example: "The employee was reprimanded for attempting to "shirk duty" by frequently calling in sick."

What's a formal alternative to "shirk duty"?

A more formal alternative to "shirk duty" is "be derelict in one's duty". It's often used in legal or military contexts.

Is it correct to say "shirk responsibilities" instead of "shirk duty"?

Yes, "shirk responsibilities" is grammatically correct and conveys a similar meaning. However, "shirk duty" implies avoiding a specific obligation, while "shirk responsibilities" is more general.

What's the difference between "shirk responsibility" and "shirk duty"?

"Shirk duty" refers to avoiding a specific task or obligation, while "shirk responsibility" suggests avoiding broader accountability or blame.