shirker
Avoids their responsibilities
A shirker is someone who avoids work, duty, or responsibility, especially by sneaking away or making excuses.
The term carries strong disapproval, suggesting not just laziness but a deliberate effort to dodge obligations while others carry the load.
The team resented the shirkers who disappeared whenever heavy lifting was required.
During wartime, shirker was applied specifically to those who avoided military service.
One feigning sickness
- goldbrickerOne who feigns effort
- clock-watcherOne awaiting shift's end
- underachieverOne performing below capacity
- deadwoodUnproductive people or things
freeloader · slacker · skiver · passenger · timeserver
Laceless slip-on shoe
- slackerIdle responsibility evader
- layaboutHabitually idle person
- idlerHabitually unproductive person
- do-nothingIdle, inactive person
couch potato · bum · sluggard · goldbrick · slugabed · dawdler · lagger · drone
Unauthorized school no-show
- absenteeOne not in attendance
- deserterOne who abandons duty
- defectorOne who abandons allegiance
- defaulterOne who fails obligations
quitter · abandoner · reneged · no-show · AWOL · dropout · backslider · walkout
One who avoids
- sidestepperOne who dodges sideways
- duckerOne who evades
- eluderOne who escapes capture
- balkerOne who refuses
Not consistently performing
- undependableNot consistently trustworthy
- irresponsibleLacking sense of duty
- untrustworthyNot deserving of confidence
- negligentFailing in due care
remiss · careless · derelict · slack · lax · unmotivated · half-hearted · apathetic
malingerer
One feigning sickness
- goldbrickerOne who feigns effort
- clock-watcherOne awaiting shift's end
- underachieverOne performing below capacity
deadwood · freeloader · slacker · skiver · passenger · timeserver
loafer
Laceless slip-on shoe
do-nothing · couch potato · bum · sluggard · goldbrick · slugabed · dawdler · lagger · drone · time-waster
truant
Unauthorized school no-show
defaulter · quitter · abandoner · reneged · no-show · AWOL · dropout · backslider · walkout · absconder
dodger
One who avoids
- sidestepperOne who dodges sideways
- duckerOne who evades
- eluderOne who escapes capture
balker · escapist · nonparticipant · abstainer · commitment-phobe
unreliable
Not consistently performing
- undependableNot consistently trustworthy
- irresponsibleLacking sense of duty
- untrustworthyNot deserving of confidence
negligent · remiss · careless · derelict · slack · lax · unmotivated · half-hearted · apathetic · indifferent
- lazinesslaziness, sloth, idleness, apathy, lethargy
- layaboutsslacker, slackers, deadbeat, deadbeats, loafer
- old insultsknave, varlet, scoundrel, rogue, blackguard
- avoidersdodger, draft dodger, fare dodger, tax dodger, skulker
- Civil War Slangskedaddle, Johnny Reb, bluebelly, grayback, copperhead
- losersloser, failure, runner-up, flop, beaten
shirkerhard worker
Industrious, dedicated person
workhorse · workaholic · grafter · doer · toiler
shirkergo-getter
Ambitious, driven person
self-starter · hustler · dynamo · powerhouse · live wire