What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
evade
Example
The thief managed to evade the police by hiding in an abandoned building. [evade: verb]
Example
The politician tried to evade questions about his involvement in the scandal. [evade: verb]
Example
She evaded the issue by changing the subject. [evaded: past tense]
shirk
Example
He shirked his responsibilities and left his team to do all the work. [shirked: past tense]
Example
She always tries to shirk her chores by pretending to be busy. [shirk: verb]
Example
The employee was fired for shirking his duties and not completing his tasks. [shirking: gerund or present participle]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Evade is more commonly used than shirk in everyday language. Evade is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while shirk is less common and refers to a specific type of avoidance.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between evade and shirk?
Both evade and shirk can be used in formal or informal contexts, but evade is more versatile and can be used in both formal and informal settings.
