What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
scrimshanker
Example
He's always been a scrimshanker, trying to get out of doing any real work. [scrimshanker: noun]
Example
She scrimshanked her way through the day, pretending to be sick and avoiding any tasks. [scrimshanked: past tense verb]
malingerer
Example
He's a malingerer who always calls in sick when there's work to be done. [malingerer: noun]
Example
She was caught malingerering when she was spotted playing sports despite claiming to be too ill to work. [malingerering: present participle]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Malingerer is more commonly used than scrimshanker in everyday language. Malingerer is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while scrimshanker is less common and more specific to certain situations.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between scrimshanker and malingerer?
Malingerer is more formal than scrimshanker. While scrimshanker is typically associated with a casual and informal tone, malingerer is more versatile and can be employed in various formality levels, allowing it to be used in both formal and informal contexts.
